There’s little price change to report from marts this week, with lamb and ewe prices mostly holding to the previous week’s levels.
However, some mart managers did note more bite to the trade for heavy lambs weighing over 50kg.
This week, these lambs have been going for prices ranging from €138/head up to €145/head in general.
Finished lambs weighing in excess of 47-48kg are generally trading upwards of €130/head and pushing returns of €140-145/head this week.
The trade for forward stores continues to perform well, with good demand from farmers for these lambs. Many of these lambs have been selling upwards of €100/head to highs of €115-120/head.
The scene for long-keep stores remains tough, with demand not showing signs of picking up this past week. Some mart managers said that these lambs were “hard to move”.
Prices have been ranging anywhere from €40-65/head for hill-bred lambs weighing as low as 20kg up to 30-32kg, and up to €85-95/head for lowland-bred lambs weighing 35-37kg.
Lighter ewes continue to dominate throughput at marts, with supplies of heavy ewes remaining scarce.
Heavy types have been trading from €125/head up to €160/head in general, with prices above this confined 90kg plus ewes – which are few.
Ewes in the 70-80kg weight bracket are moving at prices ranging from €90-120/head, with ewes weighing back to 60kg selling back to €65-70/head.
Thin and hill-bred ewes are selling from a range of €40-45/head up to €60-65/head on average.