Improved factory prices for lambs last week saw prices at marts rise up to as much as €4/head, according to mart managers that Agriland spoke to.
Factory prices for lambs improved by up to 20c/kg last week and this improvement in prices filtered down into the mart trade.
Factory lamb prices ranged quite a bit around the country, but in general, traded anywhere from €115-118/head up to €132-135/head.
Prices above this have been seen for heavy lambs of butcher and wholesaler interest that generally sold from the €130/head, up to €145-150/head.
Mart managers continue to note a good demand from farmers for nice store lambs. Forward stores continue to sell from €100/head up to €110-115/head.
Lighter stores have been selling, over the past week, anywhere from €75/head up to the €100/head mark. Nice-quality lighter stores have made over €3.00/kg at some sales this past week.
Moving onto ewe lambs, prices again have been hitting highs of well over €3.00/kg and at Baltinglass Mart on Saturday, a nice pen of Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 37kg sold for an impressive €159/head.
The general run of prices for ewe lambs weighing from as low as 30kg up to 50kg have been from just over the €100/head mark up to €150-160/head.
The cull ewe trade continues to remain firm, with top prices still breaking the €200/head mark on occasion.
Although, the general run of prices for those well-fleshed heavy ewes continues to range from €140/head up to €180/head.
Prices for hogget ewes at marts last week ranged from €140/head up to highs of €270-280/head.
Dowra Mart
Dowra Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Friday last (August 20) – which once again saw big numbers on offer, according to the mart’s manager, Terry McGovern.
On the day, the trade remained very strong, with factory lambs dearer by €2-4/head.
Terry added that forward store lambs also met a very striking demand with a lot of customers both online and at the mart.
Ewe lambs made up to €140/head while factory lambs made from €110/head to a top of €139/head, with heavy butcher lambs making from €140/head to a top of €150/head.
Sample butcher and factory lamb prices:
- Two at 55kg sold for €150/head or €2.73/kg:
- 11 at 56kg sold for €141/head or €2.52/kg;
- Four at 48.5kg sold for €139.50/head or €2.88/kg;
- Eight at 48kg sold for €137.50/head or €2.86/kg;
- Three at 45kg sold for €134.50/head or €2.99/kg;
- 10 at 44.5kg sold for €129/head or €2.90/kg.
Sample ewe lamb prices:
- Three at 40kg sold for €140/head or €3.50/kg;
- 22 at 33kg sold for €138/head or €4.18/kg;
- 10 at 38.5kg sold for €131/head or €3.40/kg;
- Five at 39kg sold for €126/head or €3.23/kg;
- 10 at 37.5kg sold for €126/head or €3.36/kg;
- Nine at 35.5kg sold for €125/head or €3.52/kg;
- 10 at 35kg sold for €119/head or €3.40/kg.
Sample store lamb prices:
- 30 at 38kg sold for €102.50/head or €2.70/kg;
- 28 at 37kg sold for €102/head or €2.75/kg;
- 20 at 35kg sold for €95/head or €2.70/kg;
- 26 at 33.5kg sold for €90.50/head or €2.70/kg.