The trade for lambs in Kingscourt Mart in Co Cavan on Monday evening was steadfast, despite countrywide attempts by factory agents to reduce prices.

While there may have been similar ambitions in Kingscourt, auctioneer Nigel Gilmer noted that tight supplies and an appetite from buyers to maintain their normal level of throughput helped to insert a good floor under the trade.

Heavier lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg-plus continued to trend ahead of equivalent deadweight prices, with the best quality lots selling from €216 to €224.

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A couple of lots topped this range, including three quality Charollais ewe lambs which sold for €240 per head.

Prices paid for lighter lots were dictated by quality. There was a better appetite for lambs presented in uniform batches in terms of type, weight, gender and flesh cover and farmers are advised to take this on board to maximise bidding activity and sales value.

Lambs weighing 46kg to 47kg sold in the main from €204 to €210 per head, while lambs weighing 44kg to 45kg sold from €194 to €204 and as high as €210 for quality fleshed lambs.

There was a wider differential for lighter lambs, with prices ranging from €180 to €196 for lambs weighing from 40kg to 43kg. There were no lambs below the 40kg mark, with store lambs slow to appear in sales with grass supplies currently positive on farms.

Ewe trade

The ewe trade was also steady. A significant percentage of ewes on offer weighed in the region of 85kg to 90kg, with prices ranging in the main from €185 to €230 per head.

Lighter fleshed ewes sold in the main from €2.30/kg to €2.55/kg for well-fleshed ewes with smaller numbers lacking flesh cover selling back to €2/kg and under.

Sales schedule

The mart’s Saturday weanling, suckler and calf sale finished last week and will resume again in September, with these cattle now sold in the general sale of cattle each Thursday.

A sale for animals restricted due to TB has now bedded into the diary and takes place each Tuesday at 10am.

In pictures

These five nicely fleshed Charollais-cross ewe lambs weighing 44.8kg sold for €209 each (€4.67/kg).

These three Charollais-cross ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €180 each (€4.29/kg).

One ewe and one ram with an average weight of 43kg sold for €192 each (€4.47/kg).

These four lighter Charollais-cross ewe lambs weighing 41.5kg sold for €185 each (€4.46/kg).

Weighing an average of 55kg, these fleshed ram lambs sold for €222 per head (€4.04/kg).

These three good-quality ewe lambs weighing 48.6kg sold for €216 (€4.44/kg).

These four Charollais-cross ram lambs weighing 50kg sold for €213 (€4.26/kg).

These Charollais-cross labs weighing 47kg sold for €206 per head (€4.38/kg).

With an average weight of 43.6kg, these 12 Suffolk lambs sold for €193 each (€4.43/kg).

These three Charollais-cross ewe lambs weighing 47kg sold for €206 each (€4.38/kg).

This batch of seven Charollais-cross ram lambs weighing 47kg sold for €205 each (€4.36/kg).

This Charollais ewe lamb weighing 46kg sold for €204 (€4.43/kg).

This single lamb weighing 62kg sold for €220 (€3.55/kg).

This mixed batch of ewe and ram lambs weighing 47kg sold for €205 each (€4.36/kg).