Prices for spring lambs in the sheep trade this week have seen a 10c/kg rise from some factories in what will be a welcome change for farmers.
When compared to the prices on offer for spring lambs a year ago, we can see that the base prices this year are firmly ahead of the €6.00- 6.05/kg base prices offered in 2022.
Spring lambs this week have base prices starting at €6.10/kg, going up to €6.30/kg, with quality assurance (QA) bonuses set to boost the prices farmers receive.
Spring lambs
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday only (October 23), which will pay farmers €6.30/kg plus a 10c QA bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs.
They are offering €5.00/kg for light lambs under 16kg, for today only, a weight that they have reduced from 17kg last week.
This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is offering €6.10/kg plus a 20c QA bonus, bringing its offering to €6.30/kg up to a 22kg carcass weight for spring lamb – the price increasing by 10c/kg since last week.
This processor had remained steady in its price offerings from its Camolin and Navan factories, as ICM had offered €6.20/kg for a QA lamb for a total of 11 consecutive weeks in the sheep trade until now.
Other outlets have also increased their prices for spring lambs, offering €6.15/kg plus a 15c QA bonus, a total of €6.30/kg for a QA spring lamb.
Cull ewes
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.
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 have offered €2.50/kg for a ewe.