The trade for an entry of over 1,800 sheep at Mid-Kerry Mart, Milltown, Co Kerry, was reported as being the dearest for the 2020 lamb crop.

Manager Denis Sheehan said the trade for store lambs was especially sharp, with interest growing from beef farmers in the midlands and east and adding additional competition to what was already a solid trade.

These cross-bred factory ewes weighing 61.7kg sold for €69.

“We have seen prices paid for hill lambs increase steadily in recent weeks. Scotch male lambs started at €1.80/kg, then gradually rose to €1.90/kg to €2.00/kg and now the €2.00/kg mark has been passed.

These aged ewes declared suitable for breeding and weighing 57.2kg sold for €56.

“Well-presented lambs are selling from €2.10/kg to as high as €2.20/kg, with 30kg lambs on Tuesday selling for €62 to €65 per head. That’s an increase of about €10 on this time last year.”

This batch of 22 store cross-bred ram lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €84 (€2.18/kg).

Denis says these prices are not far off those paid for horned crossbred lambs, with these types selling in the region of €2 to €4 per head above equivalent-weight Scotch hill lambs.

These Texel cross lambs weighing 48kg sold for €100 (€2.05/kg).

The trade for better-quality tight-woolled horned crossbred lambs is reported in the region of €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg, while lowland and lowland-cross store lambs are trading from €2.35/kg all the way to €2.50/kg for the best-quality lots.

Two batches of Texel cross store lambs sold as follows - lambs weighing 24kg sold for €64 (€2.63/kg), while 28kg lambs sold for €66 (€2.29/kg).

Demand for finished lambs has also intensified. Denis says there is much more appetite from butchers and wholesalers in lambs in 2020 and this is generating strong competition with factory agents. He says ongoing buying of lambs for export is also helping the trade.

This batch of mixed-quality cross-bred lambs weighing 42.3kg on average sold for €94 (€2.22/kg).

Finished lambs weighing 40kg to 45kg are reported as selling from €90 to €100 for crossbred and hill types, while heavier lowland lambs are selling upwards of €110.

These cross-bred ram lambs weighing 31.6kg sold for €71 (€2.24/kg).

This batch of sheep included well-fleshed lambs weighing 48kg, which sold for €108 (€2.25/kg).

The trade for hoggets is solid, with the majority of lots ranging from €110 to €135, with top-quality lots rising to €150 per head. Denis says the strong hogget trade is feeding into a vibrant ewe lamb trade.

The aged Scotch feeding ewes with the yellow and green markings weighed 49kg and sold for €47.

Nice-quality ewe lambs are rivalling prices paid for lowland lambs, with lots weighing 30kg selling for €70 and as high as €80 where their origin and breeding background is known and local farmers are competing.

These ewe lambs weighing 31.6kg sold for €79 (€2.05/kg).

This pen of aged but good-quality Scotch ewes with a cover of flesh weighed 49.6kg and sold for €54.

The cull ewe trade is steady, with Denis commenting that the lion’s share of ewes on offer are hill feeding ewes weighing 40kg to 50kg liveweight.

The average price for these ewes is in the region of €1/kg.