This week's sheep trade has seen the official lamb prices from some factories cut by up to 20c/kg in cases, while farmer sources have informed Agriland up to €8.80/kg is still being tabled at the higher-end of the price scale this week.

Cull ewe prices have been cut at some factories and held at others, while the hogget price has also held at some sites and fallen at others, but procurement staff are saying most hoggets have already been slaughtered by now as this seasons' lambs come more available.

This week, Kepak is quoting €8.50/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.65/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This offer is down 15c/kg since last week.

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon-based processor has no official quote for hoggets this week.

Kepak is quoting €4.70 and €4.80/kg for cull ewes, back 10c/kg since last Monday.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.50/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.70/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This price is down 20c/kg since last week.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €7.00/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, leaving €7.20/kg on offer here to 23kg carcass weight. This offer is at the same level as last week.

ICM is quoting €4.50/kg for cull ewes – down 25c/kg since last week and down 50c/kg on the previous week.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €8.70/kg for spring lambs and €5.30/kg for cull ewes.

Kildare Chilling has no official quotes this week but farmer-sources have told Agriland the factory is paying approximately €8.80/kg for QA spring lambs, €7.20/kg for QA hoggets, and €5.00/kg for QA cull ewes.

Just under 50,000 sheep were slaughtered in the week ending June 8. This figure is down 20%, or 8,400 head, on the same week of last year.

The cumulative spring lamb kill-to-date this year is 118,000 head - up 3% or 3,100 head on the same time last year.