Sheep trade: Prices firm up after slight ease from peak

This week’s sheep trade has seen prices for factory-fit sheep firm up and even increase at some sites after falling at many plants over the past two weeks.

The first 17 weeks of this year has seen the overall sheep kill up 3% or just under 30,000 head on last year, however spring lamb supplies to date are back 28% or just under 7,500 head.

Bord Bia has forecast the 2023 lamb crop in Ireland to contract, however Bord Bia analysis indicates an additional 60,000-70,000 hoggets have been carried into 2023 for processing when compared to 2022 levels.

Prolonged wet conditions in March and April will likely have reduced lamb performance on grass and could further delay the arrival of this season’s lamb crop further.

Sheep trade – hoggets

Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.20/kg plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its offering for hoggets to €7.30/kg again this week. This outlet is paying up to 23kg carcass weight.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €7.05/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, bringing its offering to €7.25/kg up to 23kg carcass weight. This is up 5c/kg on its quote for last week.

Other outlets are quoting €7.05/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets bringing their price offerings to €7.20/kg up to 23kg carcass weight, consistent with last week.

Spring lamb

For spring lambs, Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus again this week, bringing its price offering to €8.00/kg up to 20kg carcass weight.

ICM is quoting €7.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, bringing its offering up to €8.00/kg for 20.5kg carcass weight, up 20c/kg on last week.

Other outlets are quoting €7.75/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kg carcass weight, leaving €7.90/kg on the table at these, up 5c/kg from last week.