Ramadan
Darren Carty on 21 Jul 2021
Previewing 2022 market demand and reviewing breeding timelines
The increase in demand for this week’s festival of Eid al-Adha and lift in price has got many farmers asking if their breeding programme is sufficient to capitalise on stronger market performance
Darren Carty on 07 Jul 2021
Lamb prices rising ahead of Eid al-Adha festival
Factories have increased their appetite for stock ahead of their busiest week of the year and have increased prices by 20c/kg in a bid to attract higher number forward.
Darren Carty on 07 Jul 2021
Sheep Management: 2022 lambing, lamb kill out and weighing scales calibration
The religious festivals of Ramadan and Easter will fall just over two weeks apart again in 2022 and underpin sheepmeat demand during this period.
Darren Carty on 19 May 2021
Sheep Trends: producers remain in driving seat
Relatively tight supplies and solid market performance is keeping a strong floor under the trade, with lamb prices ranging on average from €7.90/kg to €8.10/kg.
Darren Carty on 10 May 2021
Sheep price update: solid start to week’s trading with lambs hitting €8/kg
Some agents are pessimistic regarding market performance post-Ramadan, but, on the other hand, are keen not to miss out on any potential deals, with the trade holding strong.
Darren Carty on 05 May 2021
Sheep Management: drafting lambs, grass tetany and lactating yearlings
The current positive sheep trade can be prolonged where lambs are moved at optimum weights and free sheepmeat coming onto the market from overweight carcases is avoided.
Darren Carty on 03 May 2021
Factories keen to resume processing quickly
A day’s less processing and the ending of the Ramadan festival around the corner has seen factory agents being active over the weekend to ensure they are in a position to build supplies quickly.
Darren Carty on 19 Apr 2021
Sheep price update: tight supplies helping to underpin price
While the ‘fancy high prices’ paid in recent weeks may be harder come by, the trade in general is holding strong, with firm competition keeping a good floor under prices.
Darren Carty on 14 Apr 2021
Sheep Trends: tight supplies shown in 37,957-head kill
The tightness of supply in the market is demonstrated in last week’s kill dropping well below the 40,000 head mark, despite record hogget and spring lamb prices.
Darren Carty on 12 Apr 2021
Sheep price update: hoggets hit €8/kg and spring lambs rise to €8.50/kg
Buying for the Ramadan festival underpinned a surge in demand last week with prices increasing by another 10c/kg to 20c/kg on the back of tight supplies and a strong appetite.
Darren Carty on 11 Apr 2021
France regains position of top farmgate sheep price
Prices have increased by in excess of 60c/kg in recent weeks, positioning the French sheepmeat price marginally ahead of the Irish price for the week ending 3 April.
Amy Forde on 10 Apr 2021
IFA tells farmers to sell hard as spring lambs make €8.50/kg
IFA sheep chair Seán Dennehy said up to €8.50/kg is being paid for spring lamb, while cull ewes are ranging from €3.20-€3.50/kg in general.
Darren Carty on 07 Apr 2021
Sheep Trends: buoyant lamb prices top €8/kg mark
The sheep trade is truly brimming when prices increase in the week after Easter.
Darren Carty on 07 Apr 2021
Spring lamb prices hitting €8.20/kg
The trade is being underpinned by strong buying for the Ramadan festival and a clear-out of stocks from positive sales over the Easter period.
Darren Carty on 05 Apr 2021
Sheep price update: factories still on the hunt for sheep post-Easter
Early reports suggest retail sales performed positively for Easter, leaving factories anxious to source supplies for the start of the Ramadan festival.
Darren Carty on 31 Mar 2021
Records smashed as spring lamb prices top €200/head
The trade for spring lambs exploded into life in the last 10 days with butcher and wholesale buyers driving prices.
Darren Carty on 31 Mar 2021
Sheep Trends: buying for Ramadan boosts demand
Factories had steadied and in cases pulled hogget prices back, but there was strong reports on Wednesday of prices increasing on the back of higher demand.
Kieran Mailey on 24 Mar 2021
Spring lamb opens at record levels
Starting prices for spring lambs in NI are around £57 per head more than those on offer at the same time last year
Darren Carty on 17 Mar 2021
Sheep Management: drafting hoggets, the creep feed dilemma and early weaning.
The current record hogget prices are leading many farmers to rightly assess their system and question if any changes need to be implemented to take advantage of the buoyant trade.
Darren Carty on 15 Jan 2021
Bord Bia meat seminar: positive performance predicted for sheep sector in 2021
Bord Bia forecasts that the tight availability of sheepmeat in Europe which shaped markets in 2020 will continue and possibly intensify in the first half of 2021.