The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep chairperson Sean Dennehy said “strong farmer resistance and tight supplies” of suitable lambs means factories “are not succeeding in getting lamb prices back to the lower levels quoted”.
Dennehy said that buying has started for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha in July, adding that factories “are very anxious to secure supplies”.
“They are competing strongly in mart sales for lambs and cull ewes,” he said.
‘Sell hard’ as factories look to fill lamb orders
Dennehy said factories are paying €7.00 to €7.20/kg, with deals to €7.30/kg to secure lambs. Cull ewes are making €3.30 to €3.60/kg.
Last week’s slaughter figures were back almost 3,000 head on the same week last year at 49,325, with the slaughter figures for the year back 81,551 head or 7%.
The IFA sheep chairperson said farmers should “sell hard as factories look to fill orders” for the EID festival.
Prices for lambs slip by €3-8/head at Kilkenny on Monday
Auctioneer George Candler reported a slide in prices for lambs at Monday’s (June 21) sale at Kilkenny Mart.
Speaking after the sale, George said: “There was a noticeable slip in prices here in Kilkenny on Monday.
“I would say prices were back anywhere from €3/head up to €8/head on last week, with lambs topping out at €155/head for a pen of heavy 58kg lambs.
“The factory lambs topped out around the €145/head mark and sold back to around €125/head for 40kg.
“The cull ewe trade witnessed contrasting fortunes, with prices, although not quite hitting as high, but still saw a very strong price of €193/head for heavy fleshed ewes.
“Store ewes sold back to €55/head. We had big numbers of sheep on offer at Kilkenny, with 550 head presented for sale.”