The lamb trade is starting the week in a lively manner, with factory agents keen to get their hands on supplies of well-fleshed lambs. Base quotes remain unchanged and range from €6.10/kg to €6.30/kg.

When quality assurance (QA) payments are added into the mix it leaves a high percentage of lambs trading from €6.30/kg to €6.50/kg.

Individual sellers with lower negotiating power are typically receiving returns ranging from €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg.

Producers trading through groups or with greater negotiating power are receiving returns ranging from €6.40/kg to €6.50/kg for R grade lambs, while at the top end of the market prices for U grading lambs are rising to €6.60/kg and slightly higher in cases.

Mart managers report that agents were keener in recent days to get their hands on fleshed lambs, with numbers still relatively tight.

There is some variation between prices reported between regions, with numbers tighter in some marts in the east and south.

Well-fleshed lambs weighing upwards of 50kg are trading on average from €140 to €145, with heavier and excellent-quality lots to €150 to €155 and slightly higher on occasion.

Lambs lacking flesh cover are selling back to €135 to €137 per head.

It is a similar trend for lambs weighing 47kg to 49kg. Prices range in the main from €135 to €143, but a wide differential is apparent, ranging anywhere from €130 to upwards of €145 for lambs at each end of the quality spectrum.

Prices paid for lighter lots are even more sensitive to likely slaughter performance. Lambs weighing 44kg to 45kg are trading anywhere from under €120 per head to the low €130s.

Ewe hoggets

Last week’s upturn in activity for hoggets remains. Quality is much lower, and as such the main run of nice-quality hoggets are trading from €165 to €180.

However, prices of up to €200 and higher are still being recorded for larger-framed and quality stronger hoggets. A higher percentage of the sale entry now comprises lighter and crossbred lots.

Good-quality lots are trading from €140 to €155 with some lighter types back to €120 to €125.