The standout performer at last Saturday’s sheep sale in Baltinglass Mart, Co Wicklow, were store lambs, with plenty of buyers in the market.
While finished lamb prices have remained static in recent weeks, store lamb prices have crept up, with a lively trade for well-presented batches of short-keep stores.
Such lambs weighing from 36kg to 38kg sold from €3.58/kg to €3.82/kg and recorded a fine average price of €3.74/kg.
There was a significant differential in prices paid for lighter lambs, with quality having a major influence on price.
Store lambs weighing from 28kg to 32kg sold in a wide range from €2.93/kg to €4.11/kg, with the highest price paid for crossbred lambs and the lower price paid for plainer-quality small-framed types that are a long-keep prospect.
The trade for finished lambs was steady, with Joe Kinsella reporting that many finishers are dismayed with factory prices running up to €1/kg lower than the corresponding period in 2025 and mart prices for heavier types running up to €20/head lower.
Well-fleshed lambs weighing in the 50kg to 54kg weight range sold on average from the low-€170s to €177, while lambs weighing in the region of 43kg to 45kg sold from €150 to €158 on average.
Cull ewes
The trade for a small entry of cull ewes was improved on previous sales, with a top price of €200 or €2.35/kg paid for a pair of 85kg well-fleshed ewes.
Lighter fleshed ewes weighing from 60kg to 75kg sold from €2/kg to €2.30/kg on average, while ewes with an average cover of flesh sold from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg.
Ewes lacking significant flesh cover sold back to €1.20/kg, with some boner-types falling below the €1/kg mark.
Joe is expecting numbers of cull ewes to creep upwards in the coming weeks as more producers scan hill flocks.
This has been a feature of the trade in recent years, with very few ewes being recycled into flocks at current cull ewe prices.
This pair of lambs weighing 43kg sold for €151 each (€3.51/kg).
These good-quality Cheviot store lambs weighing 38.3kg sold for €143 each (€3.73/kg).
This batch of seven lambs weighing 39kg sold for €149 (€3.82/kg).
These Cheviot and Cheviot-cross store lambs weighing 36kg sold for €137 (€3.81/kg).
This batch of eight light Cheviot and Cheviot-cross store lambs weighing 32kg sold for €112 (€3.50/kg).
These good-quality well-fleshed lambs weighing 51kg sold for €177 each (€3.47/kg).
Weighing an average of 28kg, this batch of 10 light store lambs sold for €115 (€4.11/kg).
This batch of eight mixed breed lambs weighing 38kg sold for €136 each (€3.58/kg).
Weighing 85kg, this pair of fleshed cull ewes sold for €200 each (€2.35/kg).
These four smaller-framed but fleshed 69kg cull ewes sold for €154 (€2.23/kg).
These Cheviot and crossbred ewes with an average cover of flesh and weighing 61kg sold for €110 (€1.80/kg).
These five plainer-quality lambs weighing 30.4kg sold for €89 (€2.93/kg).
Weighing an average of 25kg these four Cheviot-cross lambs sold for €62 (€2.48/kg).
The standout performer at last Saturday’s sheep sale in Baltinglass Mart, Co Wicklow, were store lambs, with plenty of buyers in the market.
While finished lamb prices have remained static in recent weeks, store lamb prices have crept up, with a lively trade for well-presented batches of short-keep stores.
Such lambs weighing from 36kg to 38kg sold from €3.58/kg to €3.82/kg and recorded a fine average price of €3.74/kg.
There was a significant differential in prices paid for lighter lambs, with quality having a major influence on price.
Store lambs weighing from 28kg to 32kg sold in a wide range from €2.93/kg to €4.11/kg, with the highest price paid for crossbred lambs and the lower price paid for plainer-quality small-framed types that are a long-keep prospect.
The trade for finished lambs was steady, with Joe Kinsella reporting that many finishers are dismayed with factory prices running up to €1/kg lower than the corresponding period in 2025 and mart prices for heavier types running up to €20/head lower.
Well-fleshed lambs weighing in the 50kg to 54kg weight range sold on average from the low-€170s to €177, while lambs weighing in the region of 43kg to 45kg sold from €150 to €158 on average.
Cull ewes
The trade for a small entry of cull ewes was improved on previous sales, with a top price of €200 or €2.35/kg paid for a pair of 85kg well-fleshed ewes.
Lighter fleshed ewes weighing from 60kg to 75kg sold from €2/kg to €2.30/kg on average, while ewes with an average cover of flesh sold from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg.
Ewes lacking significant flesh cover sold back to €1.20/kg, with some boner-types falling below the €1/kg mark.
Joe is expecting numbers of cull ewes to creep upwards in the coming weeks as more producers scan hill flocks.
This has been a feature of the trade in recent years, with very few ewes being recycled into flocks at current cull ewe prices.
This pair of lambs weighing 43kg sold for €151 each (€3.51/kg).
These good-quality Cheviot store lambs weighing 38.3kg sold for €143 each (€3.73/kg).
This batch of seven lambs weighing 39kg sold for €149 (€3.82/kg).
These Cheviot and Cheviot-cross store lambs weighing 36kg sold for €137 (€3.81/kg).
This batch of eight light Cheviot and Cheviot-cross store lambs weighing 32kg sold for €112 (€3.50/kg).
These good-quality well-fleshed lambs weighing 51kg sold for €177 each (€3.47/kg).
Weighing an average of 28kg, this batch of 10 light store lambs sold for €115 (€4.11/kg).
This batch of eight mixed breed lambs weighing 38kg sold for €136 each (€3.58/kg).
Weighing 85kg, this pair of fleshed cull ewes sold for €200 each (€2.35/kg).
These four smaller-framed but fleshed 69kg cull ewes sold for €154 (€2.23/kg).
These Cheviot and crossbred ewes with an average cover of flesh and weighing 61kg sold for €110 (€1.80/kg).
These five plainer-quality lambs weighing 30.4kg sold for €89 (€2.93/kg).
Weighing an average of 25kg these four Cheviot-cross lambs sold for €62 (€2.48/kg).
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