Changes in the sheep trade this week amount to a drop in price for ewes from some outlets, as the first quotes in October 2023 are being reported.
According to Sean McNamara, sheep chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), this is owed to farmers offloading their ewes as they are “getting out” of the sheep sector.
The drop in price for ewes has been caused by the “extra ewes being killed” he said.
Spring lambs
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday only (October 2), which will pay farmers €6.20/kg plus a 10c QA bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs.
They are offering €5.00/kg for light lambs under 17kg, for today only.
This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is offering €6.00/kg plus a 20c quality assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its offering to €6.20/kg up to a 22kg carcass weight for spring lamb – the price remaining the same as was reported last week.
Other outlets have reduced their prices for spring lambs by 5c/kg, with their offering at €5.95/kg plus a 15c QA bonus, a total of €6.10/kg.
Cull ewes
For quotes this week, ICM has reduced its offer for a cull ewe by 10c, as it is now offering €2.70/kg for a ewe up to a 45kg carcass weight, while other outlets have also reduced their prices by 10c/kg and have offered €2.50/kg for a cull ewe.
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday 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 today 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.