Factory agents are having to work much harder than normal for the time of year to get their hands on their required level of sheep throughput.

Inclement weather continues to weigh heavily on lamb performance, contributing to fewer numbers coming on stream and lighter carcase weights in lambs which are being drafted.

Factories have moved in recent days to try to encourage farmers to move lambs and have lifted quotes by 5c/kg to 10c/kg. The lift in price however is not across the board with some factories increasing base prices for producer groups and regular sellers by 10c/kg but holding the base price static for individual sellers with lower negotiating power.

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As such most plants are only officially quoting a base of €6.00/kg to €6.10/kg.

Returns

The movement leaves significant numbers of quality assured lambs trading from €6.20/kg to €6.30/kg.

Groups working from a guaranteed base of €6.10/kg are receiving returns ranging from €6.35/kg to €6.40/kg, while prices at the top end of the market including conformation bonuses are rising to €6.50/kg.

Producers with good-quality lambs on hand and struggling to negotiate on price should review their options, with the mart trade witnessing high levels of competition for well-fleshed lots and prices for heavier lambs in many cases surpassing factory returns.

Ewe trade

The factory ewe trade is unchanged, with a continued wide differential between prices paid. The general ewe quote ranges from €2.90/kg to €3.00/kg, but one plant in the west is offering as low as €2.70/kg for ewes.

Plants are keeping a tight lid on prices paid above quotes, with the main processing plants operating at top prices of €3.00/kg to €3.10/kg, while Ballon Meats is quoting a higher price of €3.30/kg.

Farmers should again weigh up the type of ewe on hand and consider if the mart or factory is the most lucrative outlet.

Heavy, fleshed ewes remain in relatively tight supply and these ewes are realising higher returns in mart sales.