Eid al Adha
Darren Carty on 10 Feb 2021
What market prospects await the 2021 lamb crop?
The forecast for lambs coming onto the market in the first half of 2021 is positive with trade signals also relatively optimistic for the second half of 2021.
Darren Carty on 05 Aug 2020
Sheep Trends: markets experiencing temporary uncertainty
A number of factories are not quoting or have reduced their quotes by 15c/kg to 20c/kg on last week’s level.
Darren Carty on 05 Aug 2020
Sheep breeding sales on fire but lamb under pressure
There is positive sentiment in the sheep sector at present with prices to date running significantly ahead of the corresponding period in 2019.
Darren Carty on 03 Aug 2020
Sheep price update: uncertain start to the week
The ending of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha and the holiday Monday are leading to a sluggish trading environment, with some plants not quoting for Tuesday and others pulling price.
Darren Carty on 29 Jul 2020
Watch: firm trade as ewe lambs sell to €136 in Mountbellew Mart
The trade was helped by strong farmer appetite for store lambs, while ewe lambs with breeding potential also generated strong competition.
Kieran Mailey on 29 Jul 2020
NI lamb trade remaining strong
Demand for factory fit sheep saw in the run up to the Eid Al-Adha festival saw factory throughput reach its highest levels in almost 12 months
Darren Carty on 29 Jul 2020
Sheep Trends: strong demand pushes kill to 74,342 head
The kill increased by 6,779 head on the previous week’s level while many factories predict this week’s throughput will be similar to last week’s high kill figure.
Darren Carty on 29 Jul 2020
Sheepwatch: factory lambs back by €2 to €4 per head
Sales held in recent days have witnessed reduced competition for slaughter-fit lambs with agents in places expressing lower appetite due to concerns of factory prices being pulled.
Darren Carty on 29 Jul 2020
Eid al-Adha drives bumper sheep kill
Many factories anticipate last week’s high sheep kill will be repeated which would witness close to 150,000 sheep processed in just two weeks.
Darren Carty on 27 Jul 2020
Watch: firm trade as ewe lambs sell to €136 in Mountbellew Mart
The trade was helped by strong farmer appetite for store lambs, while ewe lambs with breeding potential also generated strong competition.
Darren Carty on 22 Jul 2020
Selecting the optimum lambing date for your farm
Reports suggest that there are some farmers considering pulling the lambing date forward in anticipation of stronger prices in the first half of 2021.
Darren Carty on 22 Jul 2020
Trade steady to €2-to-€3 easier in cases
Reports from mart managers are variable with some reporting a solid trade while others are reporting store lamb prices easing by €2 to €3 per head and finished lambs by €1 to €2 per head.
Darren Carty on 22 Jul 2020
Sheep Prices: busiest week with peak buying for Eid al-Adha
Factory throughput will be easily at its highest level for the year-to-date with many plants exhausting maximum processing capacity on certain days.
Kieran Mailey on 22 Jul 2020
NI trends: Beef prices rise as cattle supplies tighten; lamb trade easing
Beef prices in Northern Ireland are rising this week, as supplies of factory fit stock are limited. Lamb prices are facing pressure as processing demand eases.
Darren Carty on 20 Jul 2020
Sheep prices: busiest week of year for factory throughput
Many factories will be using their full processing capacity this week to satisfy demand for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
Darren Carty on 15 Jul 2020
Buying for Eid al-Adha lifts price by 15c/kg to 20c/kg
Sheep producers are achieving market returns in the region of 70c/kg to 90c/kg higher equating to €14 to €18 extra on a typical 20kg carcase.
Darren Carty on 15 Jul 2020
Festival demand lifts price 10c/kg to 20c/kg
Base quotes for Thursday range from €5.40/kg to €5.50/kg but deals are being completed 20c/kg to 30c/kg higher with sellers trading at the top of the market.
Darren Carty on 08 Jul 2020
Five-year July high for sheep prices
Finished lambs are in hot demand while a recovery in grass growth in the east is driving demand for store lambs and putting life into the market ahead of breeding sales.
Darren Carty on 08 Jul 2020
Sheep prices: Vibrant trade as kill tops 60,000 again
Factories are anxious to maintain high levels of throughput with the weekly kill remaining above 60,000 head for the fourth week and prices holding strong.
Darren Carty on 06 Jul 2020
Sheep trade running 40c/kg to 50c/kg ahead of 2019 levels
The trade in the last week has resisted seasonal price pressure and uncharacteristically increased in price in the first week of July.