The tightness in finished lamb supplies is reflected in the mart trade.
Many mart managers report numbers running well below the norm, despite some producers opting to take advantage of firm demand and market lambs live rather than direct for slaughter.
There is some variability in prices reported between sales, with some marts reporting a stronger trade for finished lambs where butchers and wholesalers are particularly active.
Lambs weighing 50kg to 52kg-plus are trading in the main from €170 to €178/head.
Some sales are recording prices for such lambs rising to the mid-€180s, while marts with a high percentage of hill or crossbred-type lambs are reporting prices in cases falling below the €170/head mark.
Supplies are such that agents are dropping down in the weight for any slaughter-fit lambs.
Nice-quality lambs weighing from 45kg to 46kg are selling from €160 to €165 and higher or back to the mid-€150s for lesser-quality types.
Ewe lambs with breeding potential are securing a premium on price and rising to €4/kg to €4.30/kg for heavier lambs, while light lots are hitting as high as €5/kg.
Light store lambs weighing from below 30kg to about 32kg are trading from €4/kg to €4.60/kg for lowland types and lots including ewe lambs with breeding potential, easing back to €3.30/kg to €3.60/kg for crossbred and horned types. Heavier lambs weighing 37kg to 40kg sold on average from €3.70/kg to €4/kg.
Many marts have now started breeding sales, with good-quality hoggets selling in standard sales from €280 to €320 for large-framed or top-quality types, while lighter lots are selling back to €230 to €250. Numbers of such types appearing in sales are small to date.
The strength of the cull ewe trade is keeping a strong floor under the trade for second-, third- and fourth-crop breeding ewes, with many being purchased by cull ewe buyers.
Top-quality cull ewes are selling from €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg and on occasion above €3/kg for ewes capable of delivering high-quality carcases.
Average-quality lots are trading from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg and lots lacking flesh cover back to €2/kg. There are very few lowland ewes below this mark.
Scottish Blackface ewes are selling from €1/kg to €1.40/kg for light ewes and up to €1.80/kg for heavier types.
The tightness in finished lamb supplies is reflected in the mart trade.
Many mart managers report numbers running well below the norm, despite some producers opting to take advantage of firm demand and market lambs live rather than direct for slaughter.
There is some variability in prices reported between sales, with some marts reporting a stronger trade for finished lambs where butchers and wholesalers are particularly active.
Lambs weighing 50kg to 52kg-plus are trading in the main from €170 to €178/head.
Some sales are recording prices for such lambs rising to the mid-€180s, while marts with a high percentage of hill or crossbred-type lambs are reporting prices in cases falling below the €170/head mark.
Supplies are such that agents are dropping down in the weight for any slaughter-fit lambs.
Nice-quality lambs weighing from 45kg to 46kg are selling from €160 to €165 and higher or back to the mid-€150s for lesser-quality types.
Ewe lambs with breeding potential are securing a premium on price and rising to €4/kg to €4.30/kg for heavier lambs, while light lots are hitting as high as €5/kg.
Light store lambs weighing from below 30kg to about 32kg are trading from €4/kg to €4.60/kg for lowland types and lots including ewe lambs with breeding potential, easing back to €3.30/kg to €3.60/kg for crossbred and horned types. Heavier lambs weighing 37kg to 40kg sold on average from €3.70/kg to €4/kg.
Many marts have now started breeding sales, with good-quality hoggets selling in standard sales from €280 to €320 for large-framed or top-quality types, while lighter lots are selling back to €230 to €250. Numbers of such types appearing in sales are small to date.
The strength of the cull ewe trade is keeping a strong floor under the trade for second-, third- and fourth-crop breeding ewes, with many being purchased by cull ewe buyers.
Top-quality cull ewes are selling from €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg and on occasion above €3/kg for ewes capable of delivering high-quality carcases.
Average-quality lots are trading from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg and lots lacking flesh cover back to €2/kg. There are very few lowland ewes below this mark.
Scottish Blackface ewes are selling from €1/kg to €1.40/kg for light ewes and up to €1.80/kg for heavier types.
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