Sheep marts are slowly returning to some level of normal activity this week, with buyers allowed back in marts to bid in a live auction system.

While a significant number of marts introduced online selling platforms for cattle in recent weeks, most marts that traded sheep continued with a tendering or a weigh-and-pay system. As such, the return to the auction system is being highly welcomed.

Some marts have moved to selling sheep through the ring to adhere to social distancing guidelines, while the majority that auction animals in their pen are operating a similar system and implementing changes, such as leaving every second pen free to allow higher numbers in the area immediately surrounding the sheep being sold.

The trade is holding steady in the main. Butcher-type lambs weighing 47kg to 48kg upwards are trading from €116 to €124 on average, with some excellent lots exceeding this range. Factory lambs weighing 43kg to 46kg are trading from €108 to €118, with quality again dictating prices paid.

Lots weighing 40kg to 42kg are starting at around the €100 mark for plainer types and rising to €108 to €110 for fleshed lots that will kill-out well.

There are more store lambs slowly starting to appear, with demand also appearing to be solid. Prices range from €80 to €85 for light lambs weighing in the low-30s or for crossbred type lambs to €90 to €95 for short-keep lambs weighing up to 37kg to 38kg and possessing a nice cover of flesh.

The ewe trade is slowly rebounding. Heavy fleshed ewes remain at a price range of €105 to €120, while medium-sized ewes range from €85 to €100 and light carcase ewes from €60 to €80. There is solid demand for feeding ewes with lowland ewes with a good frame, mouth and average cover of flesh from €65 to €85.