Speaking to mart managers over the past week or so, the general consensus is that the cast ewe trade is slightly back, in particular heavy ewes that are fit for the factory.
Prices for cast ewes in factories over the last few weeks have been a bit volatile, with a wide variation in prices being offered by meat processing plants for these types.
Prices upwards of €140/head, which were quite common up until recently, are not as frequent, with heavy ewes trading from €115/head up to €137/head; however, the majority of these types are selling from between €120/head and €130/head.
Lambs weighing 40kg up to 44kg made from €120/head up to €130/head.
Butcher hoggets being presented for sale seem to be coming to a close, with very small numbers being sold over the last week.
Finally, a strong trade was reported, again, for ewes with lambs at foot. Ewes with single lambs made up to as much as €208/head; however, mountain-type ewes with single lambs were back as much as €120/head.
Ewes with two lambs at foot sold for as much as €260/head. The majority sold for in around the €210-220/head mark.
Dowra Mart
Some 740 sheep were on offer at Dowra Mart on Friday last, May 22. According to the mart manager, Terry McGovern, the trade was back slightly on the previous week.
Spring lambs sold from €116/head up to a top call of €134.50/head. A few pens of store spring lambs made from €90/head up to €112/head.
A big entry of heavy cull ewes sold from €80/head up to a top call of €130.50/head.
Feeding ewes made from €50/head up to €80/head. Factory hoggets made from €100/head up to €125/head. Ewes with lambs at foot sold from €120/head up to €230/head.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- 24 lambs weighing 46.5kg sold for €134.50/head;
- 11 lambs weighing 47kg sold for €133.50/head;
- Six lambs weighing 46.5kg sold for €131/head;
- 16 lambs weighing 45kg sold for €130/head;
- 22 lambs weighing 42kg sold for €123.50/head;
- 11 lambs weighing 42kg sold for €120.50/head.
Kilkenny Mart
There were 600 sheep on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Monday, May 25. Spring lamb prices were back €5-10/head compared to last week, according to the mart auctioneer, George Candler.
Spring lambs on the day made up to €133/head. Lambs weighing between 43kg and 51kg sold from €120/head up to €133/head.
Moreover, lambs weighing from 40kg up to 43kg made from €109/head up to €114/head.
In terms of cull ewes, prices for these lots ranged from €70/head up to €130/head.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- 25 lambs weighing 42kg sold for €114/head;
- 14 lambs weighing 51kg sold for €130/head;
- 10 lambs weighing 47kg sold for €132/head;
- 11 lambs weighing 46kg sold for €133/head;
- 10 lambs weighing 40kg sold for €109/head.
Roscommon Mart
A larger entry of sheep were presented for sale at Roscommon Mart on Wednesday, May 20, compared to the previous week, according to the mart manager, Maura Quigley.
In the spring lamb section, a top price of €136/head was achieved for a pen of lambs weighing 48.6kg.
Lambs weighing anywhere from 42kg up to 50kg sold from €124/head up to €135/head.
Stag ewes sold from €75/head up to €124/head. Ewes with one lamb at foot made up to €208/head. Moreover, ewes with two lambs at foot made up to €260/head.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- 48.6kg: €136/head;
- 45.5kg: €133.50/head;
- 48.4kg: €133.50/head;
- 47.3kg: €133/head;
- 45.3kg: €131.50/head;
- 44.2kg: €130.50/head.
Ballinasloe Mart
Some 200 sheep were on offer at Ballinasloe Mart on Thursday last, May 21. There was a good trade for all classes of sheep, according to the mart manager, Eilish Curley.
Over 110 spring lambs were presented for sale on the day. Lamb prices averaged around the €126/head mark. The top price on the day for spring lambs was €135/head.
A couple of pens of hoggets were presented for sale. Factory and butcher-type hoggets sold from €115/head up to €130/head.
Prices for cast ewes, in particular factory-types, were back slightly. Prices for stag ewes ranged from €95/head up to €115/head.
Ewes with single lambs at foot made up to €155/head. Whereas, ewes with two lambs at foot sold up to €210/head.