Last week’s significant pull in factory prices also inserted downward pressure on lamb prices.

The extent to which prices have fallen is being influenced by numbers coming on stream, the appetite of butchers and wholesalers and the baseline figure from which prices have reduced from.

Some marts are recording prices easing by €5 to €8 per head on average, while others starting from a higher baseline have reported prices falling by as much as €10 to €12 per head.

The greatest reduction has been for lighter lambs weighing 40kg to 42kg, with this category of stock most influenced by demand from factory agents.

Hoggets have not come under as much pressure as spring lambs, with agents keen for good-quality types

Such lambs are selling in general from €140 to €150, with a few lots exceeding this range and, likewise, plainer types lacking flesh are falling below the €140 per head mark.

Prices paid for heavier lambs weighing upwards of 46kg to 48kg that will deliver a carcase above the paid factory weight limit are influenced by butcher and wholesaler activity.

The general run of prices for fleshed lambs ranges from €150 to €162, with the best-quality lots selling in cases where butcher demand is strong from €160 to €170 and higher in select cases.

Hoggets have not come under as much pressure as spring lambs, with agents keen for good-quality types.

Fleshed hoggets weighing 50kg and more are trading from €152 to €164, with select lots of excellent-quality lots and heavy hoggets still capable of rising to and exceeding €170 per head.

Heavy fleshed ewes weighing in excess of 90kg range on average from €135 to €160

Prices are more variable for lighter store hoggets and range from a starting point of €120 to €130 for plain types requiring significant feeding to €135 to €147 for average-quality types weighing from 44kg to 46kg.

The high prices of upwards of €160 paid for cull ewes are harder to come by in the last week.

Heavy fleshed ewes weighing in excess of 90kg range on average from €135 to €160.

Ewes weighing 80kg to 88kg rage from €120 to upwards of €140, depending on the quality of sheep.

Lighter types weighing 70kg to 75kg range from €95 to €115 for fleshed lots.

Scottish Blackface ewes continue to sell from a little under €1/kg for lots lacking flesh to €1/kg to €1.20/kg for lots presented with a reasonable cover of flesh.