The mart trade has wound down for the Christmas break.

There are a handful of marts holding special sales of in-lamb ewes or breeding stock, but, by and large, the majority of marts will be closed from Thursday 23 December until the first week of January.

Some marts are reopening on the first week, while others will not recommence sales until the second week of January and, as such, it is advisable to check the sales diary before embarking on any trips.

The trade has finished up in a relatively positive manner. Prices of factory and store lambs have eased in recent weeks, but at a strong price point when compared with previous years.

The trade over the last week has seen more variability in prices paid for butcher or wholesale-type lambs and factory lambs.

Fleshed factory-type lambs weighing 50kg to 53kg typically traded from €157 to €163/head

At the top end of the market, select lots of excellent-quality U and E grading continental lambs weighing 51kg to 53kg upwards traded in marts, with a good butcher trade from €168 to €172 per head, with numbers of these type of lambs in tight supply.

Fleshed factory-type lambs weighing 50kg to 53kg typically traded from €157 to €163/head, with lots with a poorer cover of flesh selling back to the low-€150s. Lighter lambs weighing 47kg to 49kg traded on average from €148 to €158, depending on flesh cover.

The trade for store lambs was steady over the last week, with lowland lambs weighing 36kg to 40kg selling on average from €2.95/kg to €3.15/kg, with top-quality lots, including ewe lambs with breeding potential, selling in cases to €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg.

Light-framed crossbred lambs are selling anywhere from €2.70/kg to €3.00/kg depending on quality and the potential carcase weights lambs have the potential to reach.

Throughput of cull ewes has been lower in recent weeks

It is a similar story for Scottish Blackface lambs, with prices ranging on average from €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg for male lambs, while ewe lambs finished the year strongly, selling from €2.80/kg to €3/kg on average.

Throughput of cull ewes has been lower in recent weeks, but is set to be boosted slightly in January with barren ewes appearing post-scanning.

The trade is steady, with large-framed ewes selling from €130 to €170, with a few excellent lots selling to €180 and higher. Medium-weight fleshed ewes traded from €110 to €130.