The majority of factories are offering a base quote of €7.70/kg for sheep this week.
The two Irish Country Meats plants remain on a base of €7.70/kg plus their 20c/kg quality assurance payment, while Dawn plants reduced its quote by 10c/kg since last Thursday and is now offering the same opening quote.
Producer groups and regular sellers are being paid a slightly higher price of €8/kg, with small numbers moving above this price.
Some agents appear to be slightly keener for sheep, with the period from booking to lambs being accepted for slaughter reducing accordingly.
Others with smaller numbers and lower negotiating power continue to face a significant lead-in time from booking to slaughter.
Variable mart trade
The mart trade is variable, with a number of sales continuing to record higher prices than equivalent factory returns.
This is particularly the case for top-quality lambs in excellent condition, with prices paid ranging from €180 to €187 per head for lambs weighing 50kg to 52kg, with select lots of heavier lambs topping the €190 mark.
This is a differential of over €10 per head for lambs of a similar weight but meeting varied demand.
Prices for lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg are averaging in the region of €170 to €178 in sales reliant on factory agents.
Ewe trade
The ewe trade remains subdued, with plants generally quoting in the region of €4.40/kg to €4.50/kg while plants and abattoirs specialising in ewes are quoting upwards of €5/kg.
The best demand is for heavier ewes, with plants cautioning farmers as to price deductions for ewes lacking flesh cover.
Dawn Kildare is encouraging producers to hold back such ewes at the moment and to feed these on until market prospects improve or ewes better suit desired specifications.
It warns that O2/P1 ewes will be paid at €3.50/kg and that ewes lacking flesh cover and in poor general health may be subject to veterinary inspection and risk being condemned.
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