The sheep trade has quietened significantly over the last two days. This was to be expected given the bulk of processing for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha was wound up on Saturday.

There is still product entering the market for the festival, but the volumes concerned are much lower.

As a result, the trade has entered an expected lull period, with factories waiting to see how markets respond as the week progresses and, at the same time, keen to maintain a reasonable level of throughput.

Base quotes have reduced by 10c/kg and in the main are averaging around the €7.20/kg mark.

Top prices

Regular sellers and groups continue to secure returns of €7.40/kg to €7.50/kg, with some top prices exceeding this level.

A significant factor in how prices will respond over the coming week is the number of lambs coming on stream.

Many farmers drafted lambs at lower weights last week and with weaning taking place in early-March lambing flocks, this could significantly reduce the number of lambs in the market.

Grass quality and supplies are also more variable and this is said to be affecting the kill-out percentage of lambs.

Mart trade

Reports from marts held on Monday point to prices being €1 to €3 easier.

Fleshed lambs weighing in the region of 43kg to 45kg are selling in the main from €142 to €150 depending on flesh cover, carcase conformation and kill-out potential.

At the top end of the market, excellent-quality lambs weighing 45kg have exceeded the €150/head mark and sold on occasion to €153 to €156/head.

There is a similar differential in prices paid for heavier lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg and upwards.

Prices for such lambs are averaging in the region of €153 to €161, with top-quality and heavier lambs weighing up to 55kg selling to €165 to €168/head.

Lambs weighing 40kg to 42kg are trading from €3/kg to €3.30/kg for fleshed lots or top-quality short-keep stores.

Prices for longer-keep store lambs are lower on a price-per-kilo basis, with light lambs weighing 35kg to 38kg selling from €2.80/kg to €3.00/kg for average-quality types, with better-quality lambs selling to €3.15/kg to €3.20/kg.