This week saw better bite around sheep marts, with strong grass growth and a slight rise in factory quotes a much-welcomed boost albeit small.

Lighter store lambs with crosses of mountain breeds weighing between 30kg and 35kg are selling from €110 up to €130/head. Lambs weighing between 35kg and 40kg are selling from €130/head upwards, with keen demand for quality well-made ewe lambs seeing some lots cross the €150/head mark.

Heavier short-keep store lambs weighing between 40kg and 43kg sold from €140 to €155/head.

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Factory-type lambs weighing from 45kg to 48kg saw better appetite this week, with prices up €5/head. These lambs sold from €170 to €180, depending on flesh cover.

Depending on the customer base, there is increased activity for heavier lambs weighing over 50kg. Lambs around the 50kg mark sold from €190 to €200/head, with heavier lambs selling as high as €210/head.

The cull ewe trade is reporting some increased activity also, with heavier culls weighing from 100kg upwards still in demand fetching over €300/head in places, but most selling around the €2.50/kg mark.

More store ewes are appearing out and are priced anywhere from €100/head up to €170/head typically, with quality culls making from €2.20/kg upwards and poorer ewes needing a lot of feeding back around the €2/kg and under. Hill-cross ewes lacking flesh cover are selling back at €1.50/kg and even under in cases.

Breeding sheep sales saw a small boost in buyer confidence this week, albeit from a much-subdued trade all year.

Prices anywhere from €250/head up to €380/head have been reported across the country, with quality the deciding factor.

Quality lots fetching over €300/head are not as common as sellers would like, but a noted improvement was seen on the back of good grass supply and payments beginning to issue to farmers.

A large portion of hoggets are selling from €260 to €300/head, with poorer-quality hoggets not as sought after and, in some cases, falling short of the €200/head mark.