There were positive soundings on the market demand and lamb prices at a recent farmer information event hosted by Dawn Meats.

Sheep processor Dawn Meats recently formed a young sheep farmer group consisting of approximately 30 flock owners between the ages of 18-40 supplying its Kildare and Ballyhaunis plants.

The 'Future Flocks' participants meet on a monthly basis as a discussion group.

On Tuesday, November 25, the group attended a session in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone, Co. Westmeath.

The event was also open to other Dawn Meats suppliers and Agriland was in attendance also.

The speakers at the event were:

Seamus Fagan: DAFM laboratories Lead;
Natascha Munnier: Animal Health Ireland;
Seamus McMenamin: Bord Bia;
Sarah Higgins and T.J Duffy: MSD.

At the end of the discussion, time was allowed for a questions-and-answers session chaired by group development manager Paul Nolan.

One young farmer asked Bord Bia's sheep meat and livestock sector manager Seamus McMenamin where he predicts the trade to go in the medium-term.

The young farmer said: "A lot of young farmers are looking to invest in the farm.

"Where do you expect the sheep meat sector to go in the next five or so years? Are we on the high of a cycle? Will we go back to [prices of] €4.50 or €5/kg?"

In response, McMenamin said: "I can never see the trade going back to that sort of level given that all the proteins have increased in price.

"There is a global shortage of sheep meat in that demand for sheep meat is running higher than production, so we are seeing falling production in Europe, New Zealand and Australia and yet demand for sheep meat is actually steadily increasing.

He emphasised that this analysis is "a long-term trend" and said that "there could be ups and downs within that" but added that "the general outlook for sheep meat is quite positive because demand is running ahead of supply".