Prices are holding steady as we head into Christmas with little or no change on last week. Most sellers are being paid €4.70/kg for quality assured lambs, with some producers negotiating €4.75/kg for large numbers of fleshed lambs. Non-quality assured lambs are being paid €4.60/kg to €4.65/kg.

Some producers are still hoping for more festive prices around the Christmas period as factories will still be killing three days next week. With marts closed, there might be scope for agents to dig a little deeper to secure numbers.

However, up to now, supplies have been strong over the past week, with many store finishers aiming to sell lambs before Christmas. Last week’s lamb kill was 50,357 head, up 4,252 on the same period last year.

Again, this is being underpinned by lambs entering the Republic from the North for direct slaughter. Factory quotes remain unchanged, with one agent commenting that he does not expect any change for next week.

Kepak Athleague is holding its base quote at €4.65/kg excluding bonuses and this remains the leading quote, followed by Kildare Chilling and Irish Country Meats who are on a base quote of €4.55/kg and €4.50/kg respectively, excluding bonuses.

Dawn Ballyhaunis has failed to quote for lambs again this week and this has been the case for a period of months. Moyvalley and Ballon Meats are both on an all-in quote of €4.70/kg.

IFA national sheep chair John Lynskey said the sheep trade remains stable this week, with factories paying €4.70 to €4.75/kg. He said ewes were making €2.50 to €2.60/kg.

Cull ewes

Similar to lambs, there was no change in cull ewe quotes. Ballon Meats is leading with a quote of €2.50/kg. Quotes in the remaining plants range from €2.30/kg to €2.40/kg.

Interestingly, the kill of ewes and rams has been very strong this year. It is up 78,549 head in the year to date and is currently sitting at 384,165 head.

NI

Tighter supplies of slaughter-fit lambs in the North is reflected in the weekly kill dropping 716 head to 8,388 and the number of lambs exported south for direct slaughter falling 738 head to 7,724. This follows a 1,821 head drop in the previous week.

It has left southern agents and northern buyers in marts locking horns on a number of occasions and is also underpinning the factory trade.

Base quotes remain at £3.75/kg to £3.80/kg (equivalent €4.68/kg to €4.75/kg incl VAT), but regular sellers continue to secure 5p/kg to 10p/kg higher.