This week’s sheep trade sees prices as high as €8.00/kg paid for lambs despite price quotes from factories up to 30c/kg below this level.

Ewe price quotes remain unchanged from last week but lamb price quotes have seen up to 10c/kg added to them in cases.

The total sheep kill to date this year is down 10% or over 230,000 head with the lamb kill down 9% or 103,000 head.

Lambs are generally being quoted at €7.50/kg plus a 20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus leaving €7.70/kg on offer in these cases.

Heavy ewes are being quoted at prices ranging from €3.90-4.10/kg with some outlets paying up to €4.40/kg for heavy ewes this week.

Sheep trade at Kilkenny Mart

Kilkenny Mart hosted its weekly sheep sale on Monday, November 11, with 550 head of sheep on offer.

Butcher lambs sold for up to €190/head with a batch of 31 lambs with an average weight of 55kg selling for €3.45/kg or €190/head.

Another batch of five lambs with an average weight of 58kg sold for €3.28/kg or €190/head.

Factory lambs sold for up to €180/head with a batch of 12 lambs with an average weight of 48kg selling for €3.75/kg or €180/head.

A group of 19 lambs with an average weight of 42kg sold for €3.60/kg or €151/head.

Store lambs sold for up to €146/head with a pen of 14 lambs with an average weight of 35kg selling for €4.17/kg or €146/head.

A batch of 24 lambs with an average weight of 28kg sold for €4.00/kg or €112/head.

Cast ewes sold for prices ranging from €60-200/head.