Ballymote Mart’s Tuesday evening sale saw a general reflection of what is being seen around the country – pressure on fat lamb prices among a slippage in factory quotes, while store lamb prices have pulled back.
In general, price and mood were still positive, with mart manager David Faughnan noting farmer demand being particularly strong for store ewe lambs.
“There is still a lot of grass out there and farmers are still keen to secure numbers. We are still seeing some traditional beef finishers purchasing lambs instead.”
Most of the lambs on offer in Ballymote were either finished or short-keep store types with quality lowland lambs.
Heavy, well-fleshed lambs above the 50kg mark were tighter in numbers than factory types between 47kg and 49kg, with these types of heavy lambs selling to highs of €170/head, with tight-skinned, well-fed ewe lambs seeing close to this price even at lower weights of 50kg to 52kg.
Ram lambs were less keenly sought by buyers and even though they achieved close to the €170/head mark, these lots were generally heavier in weight at about 53kg to 55kg.
Poorly fleshed lots above the 50kg mark, of which there were few, or lambs with more hill genetics sold closer to €165/head.
Further feeding
Well-fleshed lambs suitable for further feeding or finishing now at a lighter carcase weighing between 46kg and 50kg sold from €145 to €160/head in the main, with the higher prices being paid for well-fleshed ewe lambs or those with possible hogget potential.
Lighter stores below the 45kg mark sold in the main from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with the majority of lambs weighing from 37kg upwards.
Again, a premium was paid for nice-quality ewe lambs, with these lots seeing prices of €3.50/kg and above in cases.
Culls
A selection of fat and cull ewes were on offer.
Heavy ewes over 85kg were well capable of selling above €2/kg, with several lots selling for above €200/head, with highs of €2.39/kg paid.
Meanwhile, ewes of a lower weight but of good fleshing and conformation sold above €2/kg as well.
More store-type ewes requiring further feeding selling in the main from €1.65/kg to €1.80/kg.
While there were no breeding hoggets on offer, a select number of roughly 30 correct ewes in good fleshing and suitable for the ram again were present, selling to highs of €214/kg being paid for Suffolk-cross ewes weighing 93kg.
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 44kg sold for €140/head (€3.18/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €146/head (€3.40/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 46kg sold for €151/head (€3.28/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 48kg sold for €156/head (€3.25/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 34kg sold for €118/head (€3.47/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 45kg sold for €148/head (€3.29/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 50kg sold for €169/head (€3.38/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 41kg sold for €134/head (€3.27/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 39kg sold for €137/head (€3.51/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €134/head (€3.19/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 47kg sold for €152/head (€3.23/kg).
Ballymote Mart’s Tuesday evening sale saw a general reflection of what is being seen around the country – pressure on fat lamb prices among a slippage in factory quotes, while store lamb prices have pulled back.
In general, price and mood were still positive, with mart manager David Faughnan noting farmer demand being particularly strong for store ewe lambs.
“There is still a lot of grass out there and farmers are still keen to secure numbers. We are still seeing some traditional beef finishers purchasing lambs instead.”
Most of the lambs on offer in Ballymote were either finished or short-keep store types with quality lowland lambs.
Heavy, well-fleshed lambs above the 50kg mark were tighter in numbers than factory types between 47kg and 49kg, with these types of heavy lambs selling to highs of €170/head, with tight-skinned, well-fed ewe lambs seeing close to this price even at lower weights of 50kg to 52kg.
Ram lambs were less keenly sought by buyers and even though they achieved close to the €170/head mark, these lots were generally heavier in weight at about 53kg to 55kg.
Poorly fleshed lots above the 50kg mark, of which there were few, or lambs with more hill genetics sold closer to €165/head.
Further feeding
Well-fleshed lambs suitable for further feeding or finishing now at a lighter carcase weighing between 46kg and 50kg sold from €145 to €160/head in the main, with the higher prices being paid for well-fleshed ewe lambs or those with possible hogget potential.
Lighter stores below the 45kg mark sold in the main from €3.15/kg to €3.30/kg, with the majority of lambs weighing from 37kg upwards.
Again, a premium was paid for nice-quality ewe lambs, with these lots seeing prices of €3.50/kg and above in cases.
Culls
A selection of fat and cull ewes were on offer.
Heavy ewes over 85kg were well capable of selling above €2/kg, with several lots selling for above €200/head, with highs of €2.39/kg paid.
Meanwhile, ewes of a lower weight but of good fleshing and conformation sold above €2/kg as well.
More store-type ewes requiring further feeding selling in the main from €1.65/kg to €1.80/kg.
While there were no breeding hoggets on offer, a select number of roughly 30 correct ewes in good fleshing and suitable for the ram again were present, selling to highs of €214/kg being paid for Suffolk-cross ewes weighing 93kg.
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 44kg sold for €140/head (€3.18/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €146/head (€3.40/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 46kg sold for €151/head (€3.28/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 48kg sold for €156/head (€3.25/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 34kg sold for €118/head (€3.47/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 45kg sold for €148/head (€3.29/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 50kg sold for €169/head (€3.38/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 41kg sold for €134/head (€3.27/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 39kg sold for €137/head (€3.51/kg).
This pen of ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €134/head (€3.19/kg).
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 47kg sold for €152/head (€3.23/kg).
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