The mart trade is proving to be a good alternative outlet for farmers meeting opposition in negotiating higher prices with factory agents or for sheep not ideally suited to the factory trade.

Well-fleshed lambs weighing in excess of 55kg have, in cases, achieved, and even exceeded, a price of €150 per head in some sales held in recent days.

Prices for fleshed lowland lambs weighing 49kg upwards have increased anywhere from €2 to €4 per head since last week.

Prices at the start of the week typically ranged from €140 to €146, with some sales held as the week progresses recording these lambs selling to a top of €148 to €149 for top-quality lots. Lighter lots weighing 47kg to 48kg are selling from €135 to €143 depending on condition, with lots weighing 45kg to 46kg selling from €125 to €136.

Light hill lambs weighing 28kg to 35kg are averaging in the region of €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg, with prices ranging from €2.40/kg to a top of €2.80/kg to €2.90/kg depending on quality. Scotch and crossbred hill lambs weighing 40kg to 44kg are averaging around the €2.60/kg to €2.65/kg mark, with a wide differential from €107 to €118 depending on the quality of lambs on offer.

Medium-weight ewes range from €100 to €110

The cull ewe trade has edged upwards on the back of stronger competition. Heavy-carcase, fleshed ewes are stronger to the tune of €2 to €5 per head, with these ewes selling on average from €120 to €135 and hitting as high as €140 in select cases.

Medium-weight ewes range from €100 to €110, with fleshed crossbred ewes and lowland feeding ewes selling from €80 to €95, while Scottish Blackface ewes remain in the region of €45 to €55 for lighter ewes and as high as €70 to €75 for well-fleshed larger-framed type ewes.

Demand for genuine in-lamb ewes is also proving strong. A dispersal sale of 200 three- and four-year-old Suffolk and Suffolk-cross ewes lambing from 15 February to Texel rams and carrying an average of 1.7 lambs averaged €195 in Tullow Mart on Tuesday, while a selection of full-mouthed ewes carrying 1.5 lambs ranged from €150 to €170.