It’s been a good week for those selling finished lambs, as a combination of tight supplies and strong competition among factory agents for lambs has seen the trade lift again.

Prices in excess of €120/head have been seen regularly at marts over the past week for lambs weighing over 49-50kg.

Mart managers have been reporting price increases of €2-5/head for heavy lambs over the last seven days.

It’s been obvious that marts who weren’t selling sheep online, prior to the latest lockdown, have seen a lift in the trade since going online, as it looks to have opened up an opportunity for more prospective buyers.

Also Read: Prices: Lambs make up to €126/head at Athenry Mart on Monday

Supplies for finished lambs remain tight in marts and this is also another contributing factor. Factory demand for lambs is still strong and this can be seen across marts, as factory agents have been very active and this is evident in the prices being paid out.

Well-fleshed factory lambs have been making €110-115/head, while slightly lighter lambs (43-45kg) have been making €104-110/head.

The trade for butcher lambs this past week has really caught the eye, with lambs in excess of 49kg freely making between €115/head and €126/head – across many marts.

Even though it is disappointing that buyers aren’t allowed into marts due to the Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions, it’s fair to say that the online trade has been flying for sheep, in particular, for finished lambs over the past week.