The sheep trade is starting the week on unsteady footing with prices easing back on this time last week.
Rumblings of prices falling back as far back as last Monday week surfaced and as the week went on, some factories stopped offering a quote for lambs – which for some has continued into this week.
The latest fall in lamb prices, the last coming in the middle of December, is another blow to sheep farmers with lambs that are ready to be marketed.
Prices have fallen, on this time last week, in meat processing plants by 10c/kg, leaving base quotes for lambs at the €6.20/kg mark for those that offered a quote.
This is leaving quality assured lambs trading from €6.30/kg up to €6.35/kg.
Prices at the top end of the market are reaching €6.50-6.60/kg, with deals 5-10c/kg above this going at a smaller scale.
Mart sales yesterday (Monday, January 9) reported a steady to an easier trade, with prices back by as much as €6-7/head in some instances.
As the majority of marts resume sales this week, a better idea of how the mart trade is performing will be seen, which Agriland will be giving an update on.
Meanwhile, the ewe trade remains unchanged. Base quotes are ranging from €3.00/kg up to €3.20/kg, with up to €3.50-3.60/kg being secured at the top end of the market.