There is a much livelier feel to the trade for finished lambs over the last week.

This comes on the back of successive increases in factory quotes, as described in Sheep Trends.

Factory agents are still trying to keep a lid on prices paid in marts, but are willing to pay higher when pushed to it to secure higher numbers.

This is evident in some cases for fleshed ewe lambs attracting farmer interest, with factory agents in the mix up to returns of €136 to €138/head.

The general run of prices for heavier lambs weighing 50kg and upwards is from €132 to €136 for top-quality lots, ranging back to €127 to €130 for some ram lambs with a lower kill-out potential.

Lighter fleshed lambs are also generating demand from store lamb finishers

Factory agents are keen for lambs weighing back to 44kg to 45kg as long as they have a suitable cover of flesh. Prices for lambs weighing 46kg to 48kg range from €126 to €130, with top-quality lots exceeding the €130 mark.

Lighter fleshed lambs are also generating demand from store lamb finishers, with prices ranging from €118 to €124 for lambs weighing in the region of 44kg to 45kg.

These prices are for well-fleshed lots and mart managers report a €3 to €5/head differential for lambs with varying flesh cover.

The trade for store lambs is booming on the back of strong grass supplies and the recent increase in factory prices reigniting optimism.

The resurgence in demand for breeding ewe hoggets appears to be holding well

Lowland short-keep lambs are meeting excellent demand, with well-presented lots trading from €2.70/kg to €2.90/kg and rising as high as €3/kg and higher for select lots.

Crossbred-type lambs are selling from €2.50/kg upwards, depending on conformation, condition and liveweight, while there is a wide variation in Scottish Blackface store lamb prices, which range from €2.10/kg to €2.40/kg.

The resurgence in demand for breeding ewe hoggets appears to be holding well. Good-quality hoggets remain at a range of €175 to €200 with excellent-quality lots selling on occasion to €220 to €230. Plainer-quality and light hoggets are back to €140 to €150.

Scottish Blackface hoggets are recording a similarly wide differential with the best-quality lots from €170 to €200 and prizewinning lots in special sales topping €200, while smaller-framed and plainer-quality lots are selling from €120 to €150 per head.