The sheep trade continues to benefit from upward factory price momentum. A number of mart managers report that sales are benefiting on two fronts – prices have experienced a further lift of €1 to €2 per head this week while the strength of competition between factory agents, butchers and wholesale buyers and the large differential in factory prices is encouraging producers with lower negotiating power to present lambs in mart sales.

Factory agents and butchers are willing to drop down on weights in a bid to get their hands on higher numbers

Even with the higher entries, buyer appetite is not being satisfied. Fleshed lambs weighing 50kg liveweight upwards are easily exceeding the €120 price mark, with average prices for lowland lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg ranging from €120 to €126. Heavier lots rising to 58kg to 60kg are selling up to €130, with occasional reports of prices exceeding this range.

Factory agents and butchers are willing to drop down on weights in a bid to get their hands on higher numbers, with lots weighing 47kg to 49kg selling from €115 to €122.

Managers also report factory buyers and butchers worried about supplies in the runup to Christmas have also started buying forward stores to safeguard numbers. Good lowland lambs weighing 43kg to 46kg are trading from €110 to €117 on average, while lighter lots weighing 40kg to 42kg are selling from €100 to €108 on average depending on quality.

Medium-sized ewes range from €85 to €105

Tight-woolled stores weighing 36kg to 39kg are selling from the mid-€90s to €103 to €105, while crossbred and hill lots range from €75 to €88 on average. Lighter Scotch lambs weighing 30kg to 32kg range from €68 to €76, with ewe lambs securing a €5 to €8 price premium.

The cull ewe trade is finally starting to record upward price movement. Heavy fleshed ewes are selling from €110 to €125, with select lots reaching and exceeding €130 per head.

Medium-sized ewes range from €85 to €105, while lowland feeding ewes range anywhere from €70 for poorer-quality broken-mouth ewes with a poor cover of flesh to as high as €90 to €100 for younger types capable of achieving a quick thrive.

Scottish Blackface ewes range in general from €45 for light ewes lacking some flesh to €55 for medium-sized ewes and €60 to €70 for larger types.