NI meat plants have switched from hoggets to spring lambs this week. Factory quotes on spring lambs are 590p/kg, which makes a 21kg carcase worth £124. But with supplies still relatively tight, and the key buying period for Ramadan now under way, deals of 600p/kg and more have been offered to entice farmers to offload animals.

Prices for spring lambs at southern processors are holding at €7/kg to €7.20/kg inclusive of VAT. At current exchange rates, this converts to a sterling price of approximately 600p/kg.

Competition in the live trade is strong between agents buying for processors on both sides of the Irish border.

Good-quality, meal-finished lambs weighing 22kg to 23kg half-weight are making £126 to £132 at sales held at the weekend and earlier this week.

With lamb numbers limited, fat ewes are a buoyant trade, returning £100 to £138 depending on weight and quality.