This week's sheep trade sees factory spring lamb price offers decline across the board but cull ewe price offers have lifted in some cases and held firm in others.

Supplies of 2026 season lambs have been increasing in the past 2-3 weeks and just over 1 million sheep have been slaughtered at Irish factories as of June 28.

The cumulative sheep kill-to-date this year is down 3% or just over 34,000 head below last year.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

This week, Kepak has no official quote for spring lambs.

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site is quoting €5.00/kg plus a €0.20/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for heavy cull ewes over 30kg carcass-weight.

This leaves €5.20/kg on offer here for these, up 20c/kg on last week.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €9.00/kg on offer here up to 21.5kg carcass-weight.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes again this week.

ICM is quoting €7.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, leaving €8.00/kg on offer here up to 23kg carcass-weight.

Kildare Chilling (Dawn Meats Kildare) is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €9.00/kg on offer here up to 21.5kg carcass-weight.

The outlet is quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes from 35-43kg carcass-weight.

Lighter ewes will be priced on valuation at the outlet.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €9.00/kg for spring lambs this week.

The outlet is quoting €5.30/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Sheep sale at Kilkenny Mart

There were over 600 sheep on offer at Kilkenny mart on Monday, July 6, with "more activity online from factory agents and wholesalers", according to auctioneer George Candler.

He said the top call for lambs at the sale was €244/head for a pen of five 63kg lambs. In the cull ewe sale, the top price was €294/head.

A pen of 10 lambs with an average weight of 55kg sold for €222/head and another pen of 24 lambs with an average weight of 50kg sold for €204/head.

A pen of 10 lambs with an average weight of 44kg sold for €184/head and another pen of eight lambs with an average weight of 43kg sold for €176/head.