There is a more positive vibe to the sheep trade at the start of the week. Factory agents have been much more active over the weekend in trying to source lambs and encourage higher numbers forward.

Reports suggest supplies in the east of the country in particular have tightened, with farmers under less pressure to move lambs, while weaning in flocks is also delaying drafting.

This is being compensated for to an extent by higher numbers coming forward from mid-March lambing flocks, but numbers still remain behind recent levels.

Base quotes

Factories are trying hard to stick to base quotes, which range from €5.20/kg to €5.30/kg. This leaves sellers trading at entry level to the market achieving returns of €5.25/kg to €5.30/kg for non-quality assured (QA) lambs and €5.30/kg up to €5.40/kg for QA lambs.

Sellers with higher numbers on hand and securing bonus payments are pushing returns of €5.45/kg to €5.50/kg, while there are more reports of those trading at the top of the market exceeding the €5.50/kg mark and pushing returns to €5.55/kg and in seldom cases to €5.60/kg when all bonuses and allowances on transport are included.

Thankfully, the trade looks to be in a better position following weeks of significant price reductions.

Northern trade

The Northern Irish trade is also stronger, with agents purchasing for southern plants said to be especially strong in their purchasing activity over the weekend.

Reports on Monday suggest there were more producers with significant numbers on hand securing returns of £4.50/kg to £4.60/kg to ward off interest from southern buyers.

With sterling strengthening to 91p to the euro, this equates to €4.95/kg to €5.06/kg and €5.21/kg to €5.33/kg were VAT to be added at 5.4%.

Sharper trade in Kilkenny

Finished lamb numbers have also been tighter in some mart sales. Auctioneer George Candler reports that there was a much sharper trade for an entry of 300 sheep in Kilkenny Mart on Monday.

Lambs weighing 47kg to 50kg sold in general from €117 to €127, with a pen of 20 quality lambs weighing 49kg selling to €132.

Lambs weighing 41kg to 44kg were reported as selling from €103 to €114, while forward stores weighing 37kg to 38kg sold from €84 to €90.