The trade in marts is steady, with well-fleshed lambs continuing to meet strong demand.

Agents are keen to purchase lambs at the lowest price possible, which is not surprising given returns for top-quality lambs are in many cases above equivalent factory prices, meaning agents are trying to establish a wider margin in which to operate.

While agents might be trying to keep a lid on price, they are keen not to let sheep leave sales unsold.

Well-fleshed lowland lambs weighing upwards of 50kg are trading on average from €135 to €139, with butcher and wholesale buyers pushing prices for isolated lots to the low- to mid-€140s.

There is a significant differential between prices paid for top-quality lambs and lesser-quality lambs with a poor kill-out potential or short on flesh. Prices here are dropping back to as low as €120 to €123.

Lambs weighing 47kg to 49kg are trading from €128 to €133 for good-quality lots, with lesser-quality types selling back to €115 to €120.

Store lambs

The store lamb trade is firm for shorter-keep lambs, with the appetite for light lambs weighing less than 30kg to 32kg sluggish.

Lowland lambs are trading on average from €2.50/kg to €2.75/kg, with select lots breaching this price range.

Horned crossbred lambs and plainer-quality lowland types are trading from €2.15/kg to €2.30/kg, while light lambs weighing less than 30kg are trading from €1.90/kg to €2.25/kg depending on quality.

Hoggets

Numbers of hoggets on offer are reducing by the week. There is still good demand for good-quality hoggets, with prices ranging from €180 to €200 for large-framed types.

Medium-sized hoggets are trading from €160 to €180, while light hoggets that possess potential are selling back to €150.

The trade for plain-quality hoggets is poor and small numbers are trading back to €110 to €120.

The cull ewe trade is unchanged, with a price range of €130 to €150 buying a large percentage of heavier ewes, while medium-weight ewes around the 75kg to 80kg mark range from €90 to €120.