This week, we feature a special camera at the mart from Stirling Livestock Mart in Scotland. Stirling Mart is the main sale yard for United Auctions, which operate eight livestock centres in total. Approximately 120,000 cattle and over 600,000 sheep are sold through United Auctions annually.

Sheep sales are held every Thursday. Last week, an entry of 2,121 was brought forward for sale. A total of 919 lambs sold to an average of 193.4p/kg (247.9c/kg), with 864 hoggets selling to an average of 138.8p/kg (177.9c/kg) and 338 fat ewes selling to 138.8p/kg (177.9c/kg).

Auctioneer George Purves commented on a good entry of sheep for the time of year. Numbers are down on previous weeks, as hogget supplies have fallen sharply – although this has helped to underpin prices at present.

Trade is expected to hold steady for another few weeks yet as numbers of new-season lambs are still low. Lamb supplies usually start to increase from July onwards.

Hauliers

Farmers selling lambs through the mart tend to sell in large lots and rarely accompany the animals to the sale, as time travelled from farm to the mart can be one to two hours. Lambs are mainly hauled through livestock hauliers.

Buyers around the ring were purely factory agents looking for well-fleshed animals suitable to move directly to processing plants. Buyers were competitive in bidding. No commission is charge to the buyers, but vendors are charged 3.5% for selling.

Prices for lambs were similar to those paid in Ireland last week, with good tight-skinned continental lambs weighing 42kg to 45kg selling from €106 up to €110/head. A few exceptional pens of male lambs made up to €116 for 44kg.

Heavy lambs carrying good flesh and weighing 45kg to 47kg sold from a general price range of €116 to €120/head. A few exceptional pens of butcher-type lambs weighing 48kg and over sold to €130/head.

Hoggets are still coming on to the market, but numbers are falling weekly. Quality was variable.

Cross-bred and mule hoggets weighing 45kg to 48kg sold from €100 to €110. Blackface hoggets sold closer to €90/head. Fat ewes were a similar trade to hoggets, with young continental types selling from €100 to €116, whereas hill breeds sold back around the €90 to €100 mark.