Another excellent week of trading was seen at sheep marts last week, with prices up on the previous week.
Despite the fact that buyers were allowed back around ringside last week, as the easing of Covid-19 restrictions continues, numerous mart managers said that many buyers were happy to continue buying online.
With factory prices holding at a high level, it provided a great platform for prices to be fully maintained and in many cases, push on from the week before.
Spring lambs
Looking at the trade in more detail, starting with spring lambs, prices of up to €180/head and above were seen in the case of lambs over 50kg.
€168-180/head was generally seen for 50kg plus lambs, with prices in some cases going above and below this range.
46-49kg lambs, on average, made from €158/head up to €170/head. 43-45kg lambs, in the main over the past week, traded from €150-165/head.
40-42kg lambs, in general, sold from €140/head up to €150-155/head. Again for all weight categories, prices were dependent on flesh cover, with mart managers reporting in some instances lighter lambs of 40-42kg making €160-172/head, as seen at Tullow and Enniscorthy Marts last week.
Hoggets
Any finished hoggets coming through the ring remained in firm demand at marts last week and with that, so did prices, with managers reporting figures of €150-170/head in general for finished types.
Cull ewes
Again, similar to the spring lambs and hoggets, a strong trade continues to be seen for cull ewes – particularly for the heavy types.
In general, heavy ewes in excess of 90kg, over the past week, sold from €140/head up to €170/head, with many selling in the €155-168/head region.
In instance, ewes over 100kg have pushed up to and beyond the €180-190/head mark.
Ewes with lambs at foot
Once again, marts last week saw a very firm demand for ewes with lambs at foot. Aged or broken-mouth ewes with single lambs generally made from €130/unit, up to €190-220/unit for hogget ewes with single lambs.
Ewes with doubles, on average, made from €210-300/unit – again depending on the age profile and quality of the ewe and her lambs.
Baltinglass Mart
On Saturday (May 22), Baltinglass Mart held its weekly sale of sheep. The mart’s manager, Tom Coleman, reported a large number of sheep on offer with a very good trade all round.
He noted a very strong trade for spring lambs with a top price of €169/head for top-quality 46kg lambs, while hogget prices topped €172/head.
Ewes with lambs at foot remained in good demand at the Wicklow-based mart, with brisk bidding seen from around the ring and online. A record price of €400 was seen for a ewe and two lambs, Tom added.
Cull ewes made from €60/head for store types up to a tops of €135/head for heavier ewes.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- 16 at 46kg sold for €169/head or €3.67/kg;
- Two at 50kg sold for €167/head or €3.34kg;
- Six at 43kg sold for €158/head or €3.67/kg;
- Five at 48kg sold for €158/head or €3.29/kg;
- Three at 50kg sold for €156/head or €3.12/kg;
- Two at 45kg sold for €155/head or €3.44/kg;
- Two at 40kg sold for €155/head or €3.87/kg;
- Two at 47kg sold for €144/head or €3.06/kg;
- Five at 40kg sold for €140/head or €3.50/kg.
Headford Mart
Teresa Gibsey of Headford Mart reported a good trade at the Galway-based mart’s weekly sheep sale held on Saturday (May 22).
Lamb prices ranged from €114/head up to a tops of €170/head for 48kg or from €2.33/kg up to €3.74/kg.
Cull ewes also saw also saw a good trade and sold to a high of €166/head. Lighter store-type ewes sold back to €54/head.
While ewes with lambs at foot fetched up to a top price of €200/unit.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- 48kg sold for €170/head or €3.54/kg;
- 39kg sold for €146/head or €3.74/kg;
- 41kg sold for €152/head or €3.71/kg;
- 42.5kg sold for €155/head or €3.65/kg;
- 44kg sold for €160/head or €3.64/kg;
- 34kg sold for €120/head or €3.53/kg;
- 33kg sold for €114/head or €3.45/kg;
- 38kg sold for €130/head or €3.42/kg.