This week's sheep trade has again seen both lamb and ewe prices hold firm, with very little movement.

Sources have confirmed to Agriland that up to €8.00/kg remains available for factory-ready lambs, however official factory quotes remain 20-30c/kg below this figure.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

This week all sites have kept the weight limit for lambs at 22.5kg.

Kepak’s quote remains on par with last week quoting €7.50/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €7.65/kg on offer up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.  

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site’s ewe quote also remains unchanged from last week at €4.30/kg for cull ewes with carcass weights over 20kg.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) quote also remains unchanged from last week at €7.50/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for lambs, enabling €7.70/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 is quoting €7.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight again this week.

Meanwhile, Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for cull ewes with carcass weights from 35-43kg and €3.90/kg plus 10c/kg for ewes with a lighter carcass weight of below 35kg.

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

Ballon Meats is also ahead on the lamb front quoting €7.80/kg for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight this week, up 10c/kg from last week.