The confidence continues to grow in the store lamb trade, but despite this confidence factory and butcher lambs have fallen by approximately €3/head and €1/head respectively.
Kilkenny Mart had 250 sheep on offer on Tuesday and reported a good trade as a result of the reduced numbers on offer.
“Trade was better than expected as a result of the small supply,” said George Candler, Auctioneer.
Butchers lambs made €2.00-2.13/kg or €100-123/head while the lighter factory type lots sold for €2.04-2.09/kg or €90-100/head.
He added that store lambs sold for €2.05-2.29/kg or €78-90/head. There was also firm demand for cull ewes with the hammer falling at lots for €40-112/head.
Kenmare mart had 1,760 sheep on offer on Monday and the Mart Manager reported a strong trade all-round but especially for the Suffolk type store lambs.
Light store lambs (28-30kg) sold for €2.10-2.15/kg but as the weights increased the price dropped to €2/kg for the stores in the 30-40kg bracket, said Dan McCarthy.
He added that there was also a good demand for the mountain stores with Scotch store lambs selling for €1.70-1.80/kg, however the numbers of these on offer where limited.
The factory lambs sold for €2.00/kg while the heavier butcher type lambs made €1.95-2.00/kg with very few lots breaking the €2.00/kg duct.
He also said that the trade for cast ewes was firm and lots sold for €1/kg. There was also a selection of hogget ewes on offer and these sold from €160-170/head
There were 3,000 sheep on offer in Carnew on Thursday and the Wicklow venue reported a stronger trade for store and ewe lambs.
Ewe lambs are up by €5/head reported Mart Manager David Quinn and these lots sold from €78-120/head.
He added that butcher and factory lambs are back by €1-2/head and sold from €95-105.
He also said that the lighter type cast ewes made €65-110/head while their heavier counterparts sold from €120-137/head.
The store lambs at the Wicklow venue also remained in strong demand and sold for €69-90/head
There was also a selection of breeding hoggets on offer and the hammer fell for these lots at €130-200/head while older breeding ewes made €120-165/head.
There was little change in price at Dowra on Saturday reported Mart Manager Terry McGovern.
The light store lambs sold from €45-64/head with heavier lots selling from €75-84/head, he said.
He added that factory type lambs ranged from €90-106/head or €2.00-2.10/kg with very little difference in price between this and last week.
Light mountain type cast ewes sold from €40-45/head while the good grazing ewes sold from €54-70/head with the tops of the cast ewes selling at €100/head.
The top pen of ewe lambs sold for €127/head he added.
