Sheep trade: Lamb quotes fall and range from €5.80-6.00/kg

Factories have moved to pull lamb prices for this week by up to 20c/kg, with quotes for lambs ranging from €5.80/kg up to €6.00/kg.

Some mart managers reported a quieter trade towards the tail end of last week for factory lambs and this appears to be reflected in what processors are offering for lambs at the start of this week.

Despite supplies of finished lambs being relatively tight, going by what is being seen at marts, factories have moved to ease prices.

Kildare Chilling is on a base price of €6.00/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus for lambs.

While Irish Country Meats (ICM) is back to €5.80/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs. Kepak Athleage remains off the table without a quote, but is believed to be quoting within that range.

Top prices for lambs, therefore, reportedly are ranging from €6.10-6.30/kg.

There continues to be a good demand for ewes, with factories offering from €3.10-3.30/kg for ewes.

‘Hold tight’

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association’s (ICSA) sheep chair, Sean McNamara is urging farmers to hold tight and not give into factories cutting prices for lambs.

He said: “Factories have moved to pull prices this week and I can’t see how they can.

“Supplies of finished lambs are shocking tight and there’s absolutely no sense in prices being pulled.

“I’d be urging farmers not to accept anything less than €6.10/kg for lambs and hold out if factories are not playing ball.

“A bit like the cattle, the mart is looking like the place to go with sheep and looking at the trade, it is the place to go – let the factories compete for the lambs there.

“With breeding sales and a good store lamb trade, factories will be met with extra competiton for lambs.”