The liveliest trade in Baltinglass Mart’s weekly sheep sale held on Saturday last was recorded for well-presented forward store lambs.

A good entry of lambs weighing from 38kg to 40kg sold on average from €99 per head to €108 or from €2.61/kg to €2.70/kg.

Heavier lambs weighing 41kg to 44kg sold in the main from €109 to €118, with one lot of 43kg lambs hitting €123, while at the other end of the price scale, lesser-quality 42kg lambs sold for €106 each.

A high percentage of lambs on offer were male lambs or ewe lambs lacking breeding potential.

Supplies of well-fleshed lambs are mimicking the trend seen in many marts nationwide, with numbers easing.

Fleshed lambs

A few pens of fleshed lambs weighing 47kg to 48kg sold from €127 to €129, with a handful of heavy ram lambs over 60kg selling to €137 per head.

A high percentage of lambs on offer were male lambs and ewe lambs destined for finishing rather than feeding.

Where ewe lambs exhibiting breeding potential were offered, they were capable of securing a price premium of up to €10 per head and higher.

Standout prices included 34kg lambs selling for €106, 27kg at €100 and 32kg at €95.

Continental stores

Prices paid for continental-bred store lambs weighing 33kg to 35kg ranged from €85 to €91 or from €2.55/kg to €2.70/kg, while similar-weight but lesser-quality crossbred and hill types sold from €75 to €80 on average (€2.17/kg to €2.40/kg).

There was a similar trend for lambs weighing 26kg to 30kg, with prices ranging from €55 per head to €67 each (€2.12/kg to €2.27/kg).

According to mart manager Joe Kinsella, the trade for longer-keep lambs is being curtailed by higher input costs.

He says that a well-needed increase in the lamb price would help to add more confidence into the trade for hill and crossbred lambs.

Fleshed cull ewes weighing 70kg to 77kg sold from €122 to €136 with lots lacking flesh back to €100 each. Hill and crossbred cull ewes weighing 51kg to 60kg sold around the €1/kg mark.

In pictures

These five mixed-breed crossbred ram lambs weighing 30kg sold for €75 each (€2.50/kg).

These five crossbred ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €106 per head (€2.52/kg).

This batch of six Cheviot ram lambs weighing 35kg sold for €80 per head (€2.29/kg).

This batch of 12 ram lambs weighing 47kg sold for €128 each (€2.72/kg).

This batch of 14 Texel ram lambs weighing 33kg sold for €87 per head (€2.64/kg).

This group of 11 Cheviot store ram lambs weighing 43.5kg sold for €108 each (€2.48/kg).

This group of 12 Suffolk-cross-Cheviot ram lambs weighing 44kg sold for €118 per head (€2.68/kg).

This large batch of 27 mainly Texel-cross ewe lambs weighing 36kg sold for €100 per head (€2.78/kg).

This pen of 10 mixed Suffolk and Texel lambs weighing 42.5kg sold for €115 per head (€2.71/kg).

This batch of Charollais-cross ewe lambs weighing 36kg sold for €98 each (€2.72/kg).

This group of six Cheviot ewe lambs weighing 35kg sold for €90 each (€2.57/kg).

Eight mixed-quality and light ewe lambs weighing 26kg sold for €60 each (€2.31/kg).

This pair of Cheviot ram lambs weighing 35kg sold for €77 per head (€2.20/kg).

This pair of Suffolk crossbred ram lambs weighing 40kg sold for €108 per head (€2.70/kg).

This batch of 12 Suffolk-cross-Cheviot wether lambs weighing 41kg sold for €110 per head (€2.68/kg).

This 60kg Charollais-cross ram lamb sold for €137 (€2.28/kg).

This Charollais-cross ram lamb weighing 65kg sold for €136 (€2.09/kg).