The sheep mart trade continues to benefit from intense competition between factory agents, butchers and wholesalers. Some marts have recorded an increase in throughput, with some farmers with lower negotiating power opting to show lambs live.

Prices are solid and in many cases are continuing to edge upwards, with many mart managers reporting average increases of €1 to €2 per head.

Prices for fleshed lambs weighing in excess of 50kg range on average from €122 to €128. Select lots of heavy lambs weighing from 55kg to 60kg are hitting €130 to €132, while, at the opposite end, ram lambs weighing 50kg and those lacking flesh are from €116 to €120. Well-fleshed lambs weighing 48kg to 49kg with good kill-out potential are capable of making €118 to €124.

There is strong demand reported for ewe lambs. Lambs with breeding potential are selling €3 to €5 per head above finished lambs, while top-quality lots are commanding a premium of €8 to €12 per head.

The strength of the finished lamb trade continues to put a solid floor under the trade for store lambs. Lowland lambs weighing 35kg to 38kg are trading in the main from €92 to the low €100s for lambs with a cover of flesh. Lambs weighing 39kg to 42kg range anywhere from €102 to €112, with top-quality short-keep lambs weighing 44kg to 45kg selling from €108 to €116.

Scottish Blackface lambs weighing 33kg to 37kg are selling from €70 to €79 for plainer-quality types at the bottom of this weight range to €80 to €92 for good-quality well-grown lambs.

The cull ewe is also edging upwards. Fleshed medium-sized and large-framed culls are easily exceeding €100, with good ewes selling to €120. Select heavy carcase ewes with the potential to kill in excess of 40kg carcase weight are selling from €117 to €130 per head.

Lowland feeding ewes with any potential to do a quick thrive and carry weight are selling from €85 to €100.

Meanwhile, Scottish Blackface ewes are selling from €47 to €60 for fleshed medium-sized ewes and to over €70 for large-framed ewes.