The sheep trade is starting the week off like it has for the last number of weeks, with little change to report in prices.
There looked like the trade was about to stir and move forward the week before last when Kildare Chilling lifted its base price for lambs by 10c/kg.
However, even though that price held last week, this week, Kildare has fallen back down 10c/kg to come back in line with other factories.
Looking at base prices for lambs coming into this week, starting with Kildare Chilling, it is offering a base price of €6.00/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus up to a 21.5kg carcass weight.
Irish Country Meats also remains on a base price of €6.00/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, but is paying up to 22kg carcass weight.
Reports indicate base quotes from other meat processing plants at €6.05/kg up to a 22kg carcass weight.
This is leaving base quotes, across the board, ranging from €6.00-6.05/kg with prices for QA lambs at €6.10/kg up to €6.20/kg.
Prices at the top end of the market range from €6.30/kg to €6.40/kg in general.
Factories are continuing to inflict cuts in prices for light lambs killing out under 15kg so this should be kept in mind when marketing lambs.
Ewe trade
Like the lambs, Kildare Chilling has reduced its offering for ewes by 10c/kg.
This brings it in line with other factories and 10c/kg behind others, with ewe quotes starting the week at €2.90-3.00/kg, with €3.10-3.40/kg the general run of prices at the higher end of the market.
‘Weigh up your options’
The sheep chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) Sean McNamara has urged farmers to weigh up their options when it comes to marketing lambs.
Speaking to Agriland, McNamara said: “By this stage, I thought we would have seen some upward movement in lamb prices but that hasn’t materialised.
“Prices for lambs are making as high as €6.30-6.40/kg with little to no sign of this changing at present.
“Marts are providing a good outlet for heavy lambs currently and the trade has sharpened up for these lambs, so weigh up your options before selling in order to maximise returns.”