The sheep trade has remained steady this week despite potential implications from one of Ireland’s main sheep processors being acquired by a competitor.
Kildare Chilling has returned to the sheep trade with a quote for today only (September 25), however confirmation that the company will be taken over by Dawn Meats has been met with opposition by some farm organisations.
The beef chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Edmund Graham said: “The reality is that a factory that many farmers depended on to sell cattle and lambs at a fair price is now under the control of one of the big two.
“This will not be a good outcome for farmers.”
Spring lambs
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday only (September 25), which will pay farmers €6.20/kg plus a 10c QA bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs.
Other outlets have offered €6.05/kg plus a QA bonus of 15c/kg, a total of €6.20/kg for spring lamb.
This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is offering €6.00/kg plus a 20c quality assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its offering to €6.20/kg up to a 22kg carcass weight for spring lamb – the price remaining the same as the last several weeks.
Cull ewes
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday only for cull ewes, the price differing depending on the weight of the ewe.
The outlet is offering €2.60/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for ewes from 23kg to 35kg.
For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling is today offering farmers €2.90/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €3.00/kg for a better type ewe.
Ewes under 23kg will fetch a price of €2.00/kg from Kildare Chilling today.
For quotes this week, ICM has maintained its offer of €2.80/kg for a cull ewe up to a 45kg carcass weight, while other outlets have offered €2.60/kg for a cull ewe.