Sheep Trends: lambs hit €9/kg and ewes €5/kg

The sheep trade continues to register new record prices for the time of year.

Lamb prices have increased by 10c/kg to 20c/kg on last week, with quotes for quality assured lambs now in the region of €9/kg.

The two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants top the quotes table with a base price of €8.80/kg plus their 20c/kg quality assurance (QA) payment.

The other main processing plants are not quoting officially, but reports indicate they are offering an opening quote of €8.90/kg to €9/kg.

The reality is there is now very few sheep moving at a price of less than €9/kg.

Groups and regular sellers have moved beyond this price and are receiving €9.10/kg plus deals to 24kg or to cover transport costs.

Prices at the higher end of the market for large consignments of sheep have moved in cases to €9.15/kg to €9.20/kg, with agents with greater negotiating power securing higher.

Most plants are holding carcase weight limits to 23.5kg, but, again, sellers with greater negotiating power are securing payment to 24kg carcase weight.

Tight supplies have been compounded this week by challenging drafting and transport conditions in many parts of the country.

Last week’s kill was recorded at 36,266 head, equating to a reduction of 10,085 head, or 22%, when compared with the first week’s kill in 2024.

The ewe kill of 2,550 head is running 1,455 or 36% lower than in 2024.

The tight ewe supply is also inserting more life into the trade, with quotes rising by another 10c/kg to 20c/kg this week.

Ballon Meats remains well out in front and its 20c/kg lift brings ewes to a price of €5/kg.

The two ICM plants have lifted their quote by 10c/kg to €4.50/kg, while Kildare Chilling is quoting a base of €4.30/kg plus 10c/kg for heavier carcase ewes.

Plants are paying 10c/kg to 20c/kg above quotes for significant numbers of good-quality ewes. With a vibrant live trade, sellers should weigh up their options.

Northern trade

Plants in Northern Ireland have raised quotes for Thursday by 20p/kg to 30p/kg to a base of £7/kg. This equates to €8.40/kg at Wednesday afternoon’s exchange rate of 83.3p to the euro.

Regular sellers are having plenty of success in negotiating upwards of 10p/kg to 20p/kg higher, with factories keen to compete with agents purchasing sheep for export to Ireland, Britain or other continental EU markets.

The latest Agriculture Horticulture Development Board price report shows British R grading lambs averaging £7.10/kg to £7.12/kg last week.

Prices have recorded similar upward momentum as markets here, with supplies curtailed in many areas to an even greater degree by weather and ranging anywhere from £7.20/kg to £7.40/kg (€8.64/kg to €8.88/kg).