Lamb prices across marts this week have been taking a beating, with prices back by up to €10/head and even up to €14/head, as seen at Kilkenny Mart on Monday.
Factory prices since Monday have been gradually coming back, with quotes since Monday of last week nearly back €1.00/kg.
And with that, prices at marts have suffered. Quotes from factories – which are very hard to come by as they try to keep a lid on prices – for yesterday (Thursday, July 1) were ranging from €6.00/kg up to €6.10/kg for lambs.
Looking at the trade at marts, sales over the past few days have seen heavy lambs, of butcher and wholesaler interest, sell from €130/head to €135/head mainly, with isolated cases of prices rising above €140/head – as seen at Enniscorthy Mart on Wednesday.
Factory lamb prices, which have seen price drops of €6-10/head generally at sales the past few days, have been making from as low as €108/head for 42-43kg lambs up to €125-130/head for fleshed 45-49kg lambs.
Mart managers have noted good demand from farmers for stores and are seeing prices of between €85/head for lighter stores, up to €105-108/head for 39-41kg lots.
The cull ewe trade, on the other hand, is showing no signs of slowing down, with mart managers noting some exceptional prices once again this week.
Prices of €180-195/head have been at marts for 100kg plus ewes the last few days, with the majority of fleshed ewes moving at prices of €135/head to €170/head.
Lamb prices stabilise at Carnew
David Quinn of Carnew Mart reported a stabilising of the trade at the Wicklow-based mart’s weekly sale yesterday (Thursday, July 1).
After seeing prices fall by €10/head last week, David said the trade stabilised somewhat, with prices holding much the same as last week.
Prices for heavy lambs ranged from €130/head up to €135/head. While factory lambs moved at prices from €118/head up to €130/head.
David noted a good farmer demand for store lambs, with forward stores coming into €100-110/head, while lighter stores traded from €90/head to €100/head.
“On fire” were the two words David used to describe the cull ewe trade, with prices for well-fleshed ewes topping €190-195/head on Thursday.
Although small still, a right good trade is being seen for breeding ewe hoggets, with prices at Carnew Mart yesterday ranging from €180/head to €215/head for these types. Older breeding ewes sold for €150-180/head.