The sheep trade coming into this week is continuing in the same fashion as recent weeks, with no change to report in prices for lambs.
Factories remain extremely keen for suitably finished lambs, as can be seen from the levels of throughput in recent weeks.
While farmers are encouraged to bring these finished lambs to the factory, the lower performance in lambs this year has shown an increased number of lighter, under-fleshed lambs with carcass weights of 16-17kg and fat class 1 lambs being slaughtered.
INHFA national vice-president Micheal McDonnell said the “week-on-week” fall in lamb prices is putting the sector in a “dire position”.
“This ongoing fall in the market price comes on the heels of the sheep sector grappling with increased costs, including those associated with shearing, while simultaneously facing the predicament of no market for wool,” he added.
McDonnell said there is a need for “a meaningful ewe top-up package” which would provide “the necessary financial lifeline” to sheep farmers.
Spring lambs
In week 35 (ending Sunday, September 3), there were 49,742 spring lambs slaughtered, making a total of 705,406 in 2023 so far.
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 a spring lamb – the same price as last week.
Other outlets have offered €6.05/kg plus a QA bonus of 15c/kg, a total of €6.20/kg for a spring lamb.
Cull ewes
Ewe and ram throughput totalled 8,790 in week 35, bringing the total figure so far in 2023 to 200,948 slaughtered.
Factories appear to be looking to put some downward pressure on cull ewe prices in the sheep trade, with some not offering a quote, others reducing the base price by 5c/kg, and some then holding to last week’s price.
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.