The availability of good-quality and well-fleshed lambs weighing upwards of 47kg to 48kg has tightened even further in the last week.

In addition, the number of heavier lambs lacking condition has also increased. This is creating more competition in the trade for heavier lots and leading to a premium over factory prices.

Lambs weighing upwards of 50kg are trading in the main from €147 to €155, with a selection of lots rising to €160. A number of sales with a vibrant butcher trade have exceeded this price range for small numbers.

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The general run of prices for lambs weighing 48kg to 49kg is in the region of €144 to €152, with flesh cover having a large say on price.

Lots lacking flesh are selling back to the mid- to low-€130s, showing the growing differential which is present.

Tightness

Likewise, the tightness in fleshed lambs is such that factory agents are competing for fleshed lambs weighing as low as 42kg to 43kg.

The best of these lambs weighing 43kg to 45kg are selling from €135 to €144, with lambs short of flesh selling back to the low- to mid-€120s.

The store lamb trade is very variable, with lamb type and quality of huge significance.

Nice-quality lowland lambs are trading from €2.65/kg to €2.85/kg, with occasional top-quality lots and ewe lambs hitting €3/kg.

Crossbred and poorly presented lambs are selling from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg, while the trade for light hill lambs is even more dependent on quality.

Plainer types

Prices for plainer-quality types range from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with better-quality lots rising to €2.60/kg and as high as €2.70/kg to €2.90/kg for select lots of ewe lambs with breeding potential. Numbers are small to date.

The trade for heavy cull ewes has strengthened, with quality fleshed ewes trading from €1.75/kg to €1.90/kg and rising to and surpassing €2/kg for the best-quality types.

Ewes weighing around the 75kg to 85kg mark range anywhere from €1.55/kg to €1.80/kg depending on flesh cover.

Ewes lacking flesh are trading from €1/kg upwards for hill and crossbred ewes to €1.30/kg to €1.40/kg for lowland types.