The sheep trade is solid, with quotes holding on a par to recent levels. The switchover from hoggets to spring lambs continues at a low level.

Spring lamb throughput increased 6,250 head to 17,184, while hogget throughput reduced marginally by 3,780 to 25,121 head. Ewe and ram throughput fell from a season high of 10,618 to 8,275, which resulted in the overall kill rising by just 122 head to 50,580.

This was despite one day’s less processing, with plants utilising extra capacity to maximise throughput.

Demand is firm, helped by a boost in demand from Ramadan, which began this week.

Quotes for lambs range from a base of €6.80/kg to €6.90/kg, with Kepak the only change – their spring lamb quote easing from €7.00/kg to a base of €6.80/kg. Top prices are still rising to €7.00/kg to €7.15/kg.

Factories report the average carcase weight of lambs creeping upwards, with kill-out performance lifting.

If there is one thing that can be learned from the trade in 2017, it is that timely drafting of lambs can help maintain prices at a higher level for longer.

Lambs were drafted at a tight carcase weight range of 18kg to 20kg in the early part of 2017, with very few overweight lambs processed.

This reduced the total volume of sheepmeat and helped generate a stronger appetite.

Drafting lambs at a similar weight in 2018 has the added incentive of current prices running up to €1/kg above last year’s levels.

Hogget quality remains variable, but has been helped in cases by farmers opting to draft ewe hoggets and take advantage of the higher prices. Quality is also having a marked influence on prices paid.

Quotes in all plants are similar at €6.00/kg, but some plants are willing to increase prices paid to €6.15/kg to €6.25/kg, while others that have long-standing arrangements with specialist finishers continue to pay 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher.

Ewe quotes are also unchanged, with plants quoting €3.00/kg and top prices rising to €3.15/kg to €3.25/kg. The mart remains a good alternative for sellers with small numbers.

Northern trade

The northern trade is also solid, with hogget quotes unchanged at £5.40/kg. This is the equivalent of €6.17/kg at 87.4p to the euro and €6.51/kg with VAT included at 5.4%. Reports show some plants will start to cease processing hoggets in the coming days.

Spring lamb quotes remain at £5.90/kg (€7.12/kg incl VAT), with plants anxious for higher numbers to replace hoggets.

The number of sheep exported south for direct slaughter reduced by 1,048 to 4,411 head. Meanwhile, the AHDB reports average prices rising by 9p/kg, with R3L hoggets and lambs averaging £5.84/kg (€7.04/kg).

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