The lamb trade took a big jump in factories this week and that followed through to the mart trade, with some big prices being paid for fat lambs and cull ewes this week in marts around the country. Portumna was no exception with a ding-dong trade for slaughter-fit sheep on Monday.
The lamb trade took a big jump in factories this week and that followed through to the mart trade, with some big prices being paid for fat lambs and cull ewes this week in marts around the country.
Portumna was no exception with a ding-dong trade for slaughter-fit sheep on Monday.
Finished factory lambs are in short supply and this has pushed factory agents into marts looking for lambs to shore up supplies in the run-up to Christmas.
Butcher lambs weighing between 50kg and 55kg sold from between €200 and €210, with a lot of demand in the mart for heavy lambs. A big pen of 39 lambs weighing 52.5kg sold for €194 each.
Store lambs also met good demand, with lambs in the 20kg to 30kg weight bracket selling from €100 to €130 each, while lambs in the 30kg to 40kg weight bracket sold for between €130 and €150 each, depending on quality and flesh cover.
Cull ewes were also an exceptional trade, with two cull ewes weighing 95kg selling for €219. Lighter ewes in the 60kg to 70kg bracket sold form €150 to €170 each. A pen of cull ewes weighed 80.5kg sold for €200 each.
Portumna Mart will hold its last sheep sale of 2024 on Tuesday 17 December, while its last cattle sale of 2024 will take place on Wednesday 18 December.
This pen of 28 lambs weighed 42.5kg and sold for €154 each (€3.62/kg).
This pen of four lambs weighed 48.5kg and sold for €184 (€3.79/kg).
This pen of three ewe lambs weighed 47.5kg and sold for €184 each (€3.87/kg).
This pen of three lambs weighed 53.5kg and sold for €204 each (€3.81/kg).
This pen of six lambs weighed 46kg and sold for €173 each (€3.76/kg).
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