The price paid for lambs has slipped slightly on previous weeks with lots back by €1-2/head, as the factory price cut is now being felt in the ring.
Despite this relative drop of €1-2/head, the lighter store lamb remains in good demand, according to the country’s mart managers.
There has also been a noticeable reduction in the number and quality of breeding hogget ewes coming forward as the breeding sales come towards an end.
There was a bigger entry of sheep on offer in Roscommon Mart on Wednesday last, according to the Mart Manager Maura Quigley.
According to Quigley, there was a good entry of ewe lambs with over 130 passing trough the ring, these lots sold from €2.12-2.56/kg.
The factory and butcher type lambs also remained in good demand and generally speaking, these lots sold from €2.02-2.17/kg and €1.92-2.04/kg respectively.
According to the Mart Manager, the breeding sales are nearly finished in the Roscommon venue but prices are holding relative similar to previous weeks.
The hogget ewes sold from €128-181, two-year-old ewes traded at €138-180 and the three-year-old lots went for €120-150.
There was an excellent trade for store lambs in Cahir Mart on Wednesday, according to the Mart Manager, Jonathan O’Sullivan.
According to O’Sullivan, the best of these lots made €50-55 over, but generally these types sold from €30-42 over.
There was also a buoyant trade for butcher lambs with the hammer falling on these lots from €2.00-2.03/kg, the lighter factory type lots made €1.90-2.11/kg or €40-50 over.
However, despite the relatively good demand for lambs the breeding ewes meet with a tougher trade with prices ranging from €100-160/head, the cast ewes sold from €30-105 each.
Lambs had slipped slightly by €1-2/head on previous weeks in Headford Mart on Saturday, according to the Mart Manager.
According to Joe Wynne, the butcher type lambs sold for €90-104/head while the lots suitable for the factory traded for €88-100/head.
Store lambs in the Galway venue met with a firm trade and sold from €60-84, while the hammer fell on the cast ewe lots from €40-95/head.
There was also a good entry of breeding sheep, ewe lambs sold from €78-114, the ewe hoggets sold from €140-188 and the two years and up ewes went from €90-157/head.
Carnew Mart had a bigger entry of sheep with over 5,000 on offer on Thursday last, according to the Mart Manager David Quinn.
According to Quinn, there was a strong selling trade for all classes, but especially for the store lambs with these lots up by €2/head on previous weeks.
Store lambs in the Wicklow venue sold from €65-90/head or for €40-54 over, said Quinn.
The trade for the butcher and factory lots had eased on previous weeks with prices back by €2/head, with these lots selling from €93-104/head.
There was also a good trade for cast ewes, lots which were fit for slaughter sold for €105-112/head while the feeder types sold from €65-100.
The strong selling trade was also evident in the breeding ring as hogget ewes made €130-€195 and the older breeding lots made €120-165.