There are varying reports from mart sales in recent days.
Some marts in the southeast and midlands regions are reporting numbers tightening and prices firming to the tune of €2 to €3/head.
Other marts along the western coast reported no real change in price, but signs of a better appetite.
The general run of prices for lambs weighing from 50kg to 53kg remains in the region of €170 to €177, with quality and potential slaughter performance influencing prices.
Heavier and excellent-quality lambs are rising to and exceeding €180/head, with some sales reporting odd pens attracting keen butcher or wholesale buyer demand rising to the mid- to highs-€180s. Numbers trading at this level are relatively small.
Prices paid for lambs weighing 45kg to 47kg are even more dependent on flesh cover and kill-out potential. Prices range from €148 to €158/head for quality lowland types, with crossbred or plainer-quality lots back to the low-€140s.
Demand remains solid for heavier store lambs, but the appetite has weakened in places for light lambs.
Prices average €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg for well-presented store lambs, with those with a better cover of flesh are selling to €3.40/kg in cases. Poorer-quality and crossbred stores are selling from €3/kg to €3.15/kg.
Some lighter but top-quality stores are recording a higher price of €3.40/kg to €3.65/kg, but some long-term prospects or lambs which appear to have their growth stunted are selling below the €3/kg mark and range from €2.75/kg to €3/kg.
Entries of hoggets are drying up fast, with prices remaining at €220 to €260 for better-quality lots and falling back to €150 and below for small-framed and plainer-quality hill types.
Cull ewes are unchanged, with the majority of heavier fleshed ewes selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30, while top-quality lots are rising in cases to €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg, but numbers are small.
Feeding ewes are selling around the €2/kg mark for lowland types, with heavier hill ewes and ewes with a poorer cover of flesh back to €1.50/kg to €1.70/kg and €1/kg to €1.30/kg for light carcase types.
There are varying reports from mart sales in recent days.
Some marts in the southeast and midlands regions are reporting numbers tightening and prices firming to the tune of €2 to €3/head.
Other marts along the western coast reported no real change in price, but signs of a better appetite.
The general run of prices for lambs weighing from 50kg to 53kg remains in the region of €170 to €177, with quality and potential slaughter performance influencing prices.
Heavier and excellent-quality lambs are rising to and exceeding €180/head, with some sales reporting odd pens attracting keen butcher or wholesale buyer demand rising to the mid- to highs-€180s. Numbers trading at this level are relatively small.
Prices paid for lambs weighing 45kg to 47kg are even more dependent on flesh cover and kill-out potential. Prices range from €148 to €158/head for quality lowland types, with crossbred or plainer-quality lots back to the low-€140s.
Demand remains solid for heavier store lambs, but the appetite has weakened in places for light lambs.
Prices average €3.20/kg to €3.30/kg for well-presented store lambs, with those with a better cover of flesh are selling to €3.40/kg in cases. Poorer-quality and crossbred stores are selling from €3/kg to €3.15/kg.
Some lighter but top-quality stores are recording a higher price of €3.40/kg to €3.65/kg, but some long-term prospects or lambs which appear to have their growth stunted are selling below the €3/kg mark and range from €2.75/kg to €3/kg.
Entries of hoggets are drying up fast, with prices remaining at €220 to €260 for better-quality lots and falling back to €150 and below for small-framed and plainer-quality hill types.
Cull ewes are unchanged, with the majority of heavier fleshed ewes selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30, while top-quality lots are rising in cases to €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg, but numbers are small.
Feeding ewes are selling around the €2/kg mark for lowland types, with heavier hill ewes and ewes with a poorer cover of flesh back to €1.50/kg to €1.70/kg and €1/kg to €1.30/kg for light carcase types.
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