Sheep marts held since the start of the week have recorded significantly lower levels of throughput week-on-week.

Reports indicate that farmers anticipating higher market demand for the Islamic religious festival of Eid al-Adha pushed out higher numbers leaving a void in supplies this week.

Some mart managers report that supplies of heavy lambs in particular are much tighter. This is not surprising given that factory agents freely purchased lambs at lighter weights to satisfy last week’s insatiable appetite for sheep.

There is some variation in price reports from marts held since the start of the week. Many mangers are reporting a largely steady trade while others are reporting prices easing by €2 to €3 per head on average and in cases by as much as €4 to €5 per head.

Fleshed lambs weighing in the region of 43kg to 45kg are selling in the main from €142 to €150 depending on flesh cover, carcase conformation and kill-out potential. At the top end of the market, excellent quality lambs weighing 45kg have exceeded the €150 per head mark and sold on occasion to €153 to €156 per head.

There is a similar differential in prices paid for lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg and upwards. Prices for such lambs are averaging in the region of €153 to €161, with top-quality and heavier lambs weighing up to 55kg selling to €165 to €168 per head. These prices were recorded more freely at the start of the week but there is still good bite in this weight category given the lower numbers on offer.

The greatest differential in price is for lambs weighing 40kg to 43kg with more variability in slaughter performance. Fleshed lots and top-quality short-keep stores are trading from €3/kg to €3.30/kg. Prices for longer-keep store lambs are lower on a price per kilo basis, with lambs weighing 35kg to 38kg selling from €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg for average-quality types with better quality lambs selling to €3.15/kg to €3.20/kg.

Demand for ewes is solid despite some attempts from factories to ease prices back. Heavy carcase ewes weighing from 90kg to 100kg upwards continue to trade from €180 to €215 in the main while 80kg to 85kg fleshed ewes are selling from €130 to €170.

Scottish Blackface ewes are low in number and trading from €1/kg for lots lacking flesh to €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg for fleshed types.