This week, sources have again informed Agriland that up to €8.00/kg remains available for factory-ready lambs, with some groups even achieving up to €8.03/kg.

However the official factory quotes remain 15-30c/kg below this figure.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

With sheep numbers starting to fall back as per the time of year, it is starting to cause a slight shift in price this week.

All sites have kept the weight limit for lambs at 22.5kg once again this week.

Kepak increased its quote for spring lambs by 10c/kg. This leaves their quote for the week at €7.60/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €7.75/kg on offer up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.  

The Roscommon-based Athleague site’s ewe quote remains unchanged from the last few weeks, at €4.30/kg for cull ewes with carcass weights over 20kg.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) quote for spring lambs has also risen by 10c/kg this week, leaving their quote for the week at €7.60/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for lambs, enabling €7.80/kg to be obtained for lambs with a carcass-weight of up to 22.5kg.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are also quoting €4.30/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Kildare Chilling’s quote for lambs this week remains unchanged from last week at €7.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.

However, this week Kildare Chilling is the only site to increase their cull ewe quote. They increased it by 10c/kg, leaving €4.50/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus available.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow remains ahead of the other sites again this week, with an unchanged quote of €5.00/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Ballon Meats is also remains ahead on the lamb front, quoting €7.80/kg for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight this week - a quote that is also unchanged from last week.