The sheep trade has steadied on a solid footing over the last week. Factory agents are keen for lambs, but are reluctant to pay higher given there is opposition to higher factory prices. This is leading to a relatively tight price range for slaughter-fit lambs.

Lots weighing 50kg to 55kg are trading on average from €150 to €155, with select types attracting butcher attention or ewe lambs attracting interest from farmer buyers rising to €160 and over on occasion.

Lighter fleshed lambs weighing 48kg to 49kg are, in many cases, capable of securing similar returns as heavier lambs, stemming from a strong appetite at factory level to balance the current higher weight profile in the kill.

Store lambs appear to have firmed again, with prices rising by €2 to €3/head compared with prices paid over the last two to three weeks.

Mart managers report that strong grass supplies on farms and the recovery in lamb price is keeping a strong floor

Shorter-keep lowland lambs weighing 40kg and upwards are trading from €2.85/kg to €3.15/kg on average, with some excellent-quality lots rising to €3.30/kg.

Lighter lots are achieving a higher average price per kilo, with lots weighing in the mid-30kg range easily hitting €3/kg for nice-quality types and rising to as high as €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg.

Mart managers report that strong grass supplies on farms and the recovery in lamb price is keeping a strong floor.

The trade for cull ewes is steady, with some marts reporting prices strengthening by €3 to €4/head on the week.

Heavy-carcase ewes weighing in excess of 90kg liveweight are trading on average from €135 to €160/head on average, with a selection of the best-quality lots rising in some sales to €170/head.

Lighter ewes weighing in the region of 80kg are selling anywhere from €120 upwards for ewes with a lower cover of flesh or poorer conformation to €140 and higher for young and well-conformed ewes.

There are very few lowland or crossbred ewes selling under a price of €80/head

Smaller-framed continental-type and crossbred ewes weighing in the region of 70kg are trading from €100 to €125, with flesh cover and kill-out potential again having a big say on prices paid.

There are very few lowland or crossbred ewes selling under a price of €80/head. Prices are unchanged for Scottish Blackface ewes and continue to range from about €1/kg for average-quality lots to €1.30/kg to €1.40/kg for heavier and better-quality types.