While MartWatch shows prices to have strengthened slightly in the past week, the ongoing protests outside factories are affecting the flow of lambs for slaughter and is a major cause of concern for many farmers, as number are backlogging.

Heavy butchers’ lambs over 50kg are selling mainly from €95 to €98/head and to over €100 at some sales. This is up by €1 to €2/head on last week. The tops are reaching €100/head, but some mart managers have seen slightly higher prices than €102/head.

Factory lambs from 45kg to 50kg are selling mainly from €90 to €95, with some prices of over €97/head being recorded.

However, there is more variability between prices recorded in some marts.

Overall, prices are steady, with mart managers reporting no change on last week, although factory buyer demand is also variable.

The average 40kg store is selling mainly from €75 to €85/head

Lambs from 42kg to 44kg are ranging mainly from €83 to €88/head, which is back by €1/head on last week.

The store lamb trade is very strong. With poor weather in the west, this is driving farmers to source store lambs in order to eat surplus grass in fields that cattle cannot graze.

The average 40kg store is selling mainly from €75 to €85/head.

Quality is having an impact on prices also, with lesser-quality types selling at the low-€70s/head.

Lighter store lambs from 35kg to 37kg are selling mainly from €70 to €77/head, which translates into a slightly weaker trade, but demand is increasing in some areas.

Lighter types from 30kg to 35kg are selling mainly from €63 to €72/head.

Breeding sales are still continuing well, with hoggets making from €140 to €160/head, with top-quality types making from €180 to €200/head.

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