Camera at the Mart was in attendance at the weekly sheep sale in Kilrea Mart, Co Derry, on Monday.
With supplies of factory-fit lambs extremely tight across Northern Ireland, there was a much smaller showing of stock for the time of year, with around 280 head of sheep forwarded for sale.
This pen of lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight sold for £136.50 (€159).
Buying demand
Buying demand is running ahead of supplies on the ground and this is keeping a floor in the trade and prices are holding firm.
Commenting on the sale, mart manager Mark Stewart said: “Lambs are a good, steady trade, with little change in prices due to scarcity of stock at the moment.”
This pen of lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
Top price
New-season lambs sold to a top price of £139 (€162) on three separate occasions, while, on a per-kilo basis, the sale hit a peak price of 650p/kg (€7.97/kg).
First to hit the top price mark was a pen of top-quality Texel-cross animals weighing 23.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 22kg half-weight sold for £133 (€155).
This pen of lambs weighing 25kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
The second lot to hit £139 was a pen of 10 Texel and Suffolk-cross lambs at 24kg half-weight, followed by a pen of 13 Texel-bred animals weighing 25kg half-weight.
The next highest price saw £138 (€160) paid twice, first off on two crossbred lambs weighing 26kg half-weight and again for a pen of nine Suffolk and Texel-cross lambs weighing 27kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 24kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
This pen of lambs weighing 21.5kg half-weight sold for £132 (€151).
Main price run
Other stand-out lots saw £136.50 (€159) being paid for a super pen of crossbred lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight.
This was followed by £136 (€159) paid for 12 super-quality lambs weighing 22.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 21kg half-weight sold for £125 (€145).
This pen of lambs weighing 26kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157).
A heavy pen of Suffolk-cross lambs at 26kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157), followed by a great pen of crossbred lambs weighing 22kg half-weight that made £133 (€155) and £132 (€151) paid on lambs weighing 21.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 27kg half-weight sold for £138 (€160).
This pen of lambs weighing 22.5kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157).
Lighter lambs
A small entry of lighter lambs sold well, with two top-class pens at 20kg half-weight making £128 and £130 (€149 to €151) respectively.
Top price for ewes saw £138 (€160 paid).
This pen of lambs weighing 26.5kg half-weight sold for £138 (€160).
Read more
Beef prices: quotes steady as factories plan for June supplies
Sheep prices: trade steady as supply-demand balance remains on farmers' side
Camera at the Mart was in attendance at the weekly sheep sale in Kilrea Mart, Co Derry, on Monday.
With supplies of factory-fit lambs extremely tight across Northern Ireland, there was a much smaller showing of stock for the time of year, with around 280 head of sheep forwarded for sale.
This pen of lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight sold for £136.50 (€159).
Buying demand
Buying demand is running ahead of supplies on the ground and this is keeping a floor in the trade and prices are holding firm.
Commenting on the sale, mart manager Mark Stewart said: “Lambs are a good, steady trade, with little change in prices due to scarcity of stock at the moment.”
This pen of lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
Top price
New-season lambs sold to a top price of £139 (€162) on three separate occasions, while, on a per-kilo basis, the sale hit a peak price of 650p/kg (€7.97/kg).
First to hit the top price mark was a pen of top-quality Texel-cross animals weighing 23.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 22kg half-weight sold for £133 (€155).
This pen of lambs weighing 25kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
The second lot to hit £139 was a pen of 10 Texel and Suffolk-cross lambs at 24kg half-weight, followed by a pen of 13 Texel-bred animals weighing 25kg half-weight.
The next highest price saw £138 (€160) paid twice, first off on two crossbred lambs weighing 26kg half-weight and again for a pen of nine Suffolk and Texel-cross lambs weighing 27kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 24kg half-weight sold for £139 (€162).
This pen of lambs weighing 21.5kg half-weight sold for £132 (€151).
Main price run
Other stand-out lots saw £136.50 (€159) being paid for a super pen of crossbred lambs weighing 23.5kg half-weight.
This was followed by £136 (€159) paid for 12 super-quality lambs weighing 22.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 21kg half-weight sold for £125 (€145).
This pen of lambs weighing 26kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157).
A heavy pen of Suffolk-cross lambs at 26kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157), followed by a great pen of crossbred lambs weighing 22kg half-weight that made £133 (€155) and £132 (€151) paid on lambs weighing 21.5kg half-weight.
This pen of lambs weighing 27kg half-weight sold for £138 (€160).
This pen of lambs weighing 22.5kg half-weight sold for £135 (€157).
Lighter lambs
A small entry of lighter lambs sold well, with two top-class pens at 20kg half-weight making £128 and £130 (€149 to €151) respectively.
Top price for ewes saw £138 (€160 paid).
This pen of lambs weighing 26.5kg half-weight sold for £138 (€160).
Read more
Beef prices: quotes steady as factories plan for June supplies
Sheep prices: trade steady as supply-demand balance remains on farmers' side
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