The sheep trade has steadied midweek, following a more sluggish tone entering the trade last weekend.

Reports indicate that a deterioration in ground conditions and more farmers moving hoggets off forage crops increased the number of sheep coming on stream and reduced the pressure on agents to compete for lambs.

Base quotes have not changed, but those trading at the top end of the market have found it more difficult to secure the higher prices which had materialised in the previous week.

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Producer groups continue to trade in the region of €6.85/kg to €6.90/kg, with some top prices still hitting €7/kg by means of conformation bonuses on U and E grading lambs.

Regular sellers and specialist finishers who secured prices above €7/kg last week are finding it more challenging to negotiate similar this week, with top prices also in the region of €6.90/kg to €7.00/kg.

IFA sheep chair Kevin Comiskey says that demand for sheepmeat is strong and that some factories are paying up to €7.10/kg to secure supplies.

At the other end of the market, entry prices being offered to farmers handling small numbers and possessing no real negotiating power are in the region of €6.70/kg to €6.80/kg for quality assured hoggets.

It is worth weighing up if the mart or the factory route is the best outlet for these hoggets.

Penalties

Carcase weight continues to have an influence on prices paid, with factories keen to purchase hoggets killing out at less than 23kg.

Penalties are still being imposed on hoggets exceeding 25kg, with top prices being curtailed in some plants at €150/head, while other plants are cutting by 20c/kg to 30c/kg.

Numbers in the market are reflected in last week’s sheep kill being recorded at 52,793 head.

This is an increase of over 2,000 on the previous week and is over 14,000 head higher than the corresponding week in 2021, where tight supplies and COVID interruptions to normal processing were factors.

Feeding ewes

There is stronger demand for ewes, with quotes increasing by 10c/kg to a base of €3.30/kg. Top prices range from €3.45/kg to €3.60/kg.

The sheep kill in northern plants reduced by about 500 head last week to 7,512.

There was a similar increase of 555 head in the number of sheep imported south for direct slaughter at 6,252.

Reports indicate agents purchasing in marts on behalf of southern plants have been more active in recent weeks. Quotes in Northern Irish plants are 5p/kg lower at a base of £5.50/kg, with top prices 10p/kg to 15p/kg higher.