Increased wholesaler demand and an increased in factory gate prices has seen a lift in demand and price for spring lamb this week, with prices increasing in the main between €3-€5/head.

Certain marts with high butcher and wholesaler activity have seen a price increase of €10/head. Butcher and wholesaler spec lambs weighing 49kg plus with ample flesh are selling from €220/head up to €235/head, with a small selection of choice heavy lambs broaching this figure.

Exporter activity has also helped to underpin prices, with a small number of marts handling good numbers of lambs reporting exporter activity.

ADVERTISEMENT

Factory type lambs weighing from 42-48kg are trading firmly, having increased by €3-€5/head on last week, with these types selling between €200-€220/head.

Factory agents are battling fiercely to secure numbers and are unwilling to let lambs go home unsold, with near full clearance rates recorded for spring lamb across marts.

Some choice lots of quality ewe lambs selling above this, while butchers are also targeting lambs at the upper end of this weight band where numbers of heavier lambs are tight.

Spring store lambs are relatively low in numbers, with many farmers choosing to hold on to these with ample grass supplies. Those being presented for sale are meeting with a keen demand, selling between €4.40-€4.80/kg liveweight for quality types.

Hogget demand is variable, as too is quality and price. Better type hoggets upwards of 50kg are trading relatively well, especially where spring lamb and cull ewe numbers are tight, though prices are struggling to break the €200/head mark.

Lighter type hoggets weighing 43-46kg are very variable in demand, with the reasoning being that these will not reach their kill out potential in the coming two weeks before more spring lamb comes on the market.

Cull ewes are a solid trade still, with better quality types capable of a high kill out still hitting €2.40-€2.50/kg in certain marts. Lesser type ewes are selling between €2-€2.30/kg in the main, with only very poorly fleshed lowland and hill ewes selling below €2/kg.