Prices in the sheep trade at the beginning of this week (Monday, November 20) have steadied and are holding firm after a short period of price increases in recent weeks.
The newly appointed chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) National Sheep Committee, Adrian Gallagher spoke to Agriland about the latest updates in the sheep trade.
Referring to the improved prices that farmers have been receiving for spring lambs lately, Gallagher said “it’s probably down to supply and demand”.
“Our kill numbers have dropped…which always affects the price paid to farmers. There’s a couple of reasons for the low kill in the last few weeks. One of the reasons is due to the weather.
“There’s not sufficient lambs as there should be with the bad weather. Lambs are a little later coming on so we’re a bit behind.
The IFA national sheep committee chair said the live shipping of lambs that is taking place “always helps the trade”.
Gallagher said: “Live shippers are always looking for finished lambs and these are competing with agents and factories at the marts for these lambs so the factories are getting less lambs.”
Spring lamb prices
Kildare Chilling has maintained its offering for lambs at the start of this week and is quoting farmers €6.50/kg plus a 10c QA bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs, a total of €6.60/kg for today only (Monday, November 20).
They are offering €5.00/kg for light lambs under 16kg or those that are grading from an O2 to P1.
This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is offering €6.35/kg plus a 20c QA bonus, bringing its offering to €6.55/kg up to a 22.5kg carcass weight for spring lamb, the same price offered last week.
Other outlets have offered a price of €6.35/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, a total of €6.50/kg.
Cull ewe prices
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for today only for cull ewes, the price differing depending on the weight of the ewe.
The outlet is offering €2.60/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for ewes from 23kg to 35kg.
For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling is offering farmers €2.90/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €3.00/kg for a better type ewe.
Ewes under 23kg will fetch a price of €2.00/kg from Kildare Chilling today.
ICM is offering €2.60/kg for a ewe up to a 45kg carcass weight, the price remaining the same as last week, while other outlets are offering €2.50/kg for a cull ewe.