This week all factory quotes have remained unchanged for both spring lambs and ewes for the second week in a row.

€8.00/kg remains available for some lamb producer groups, with large-scale producers killing large numbers weekly.

However, this price still remains 15-30c/kg ahead of the official factory prices.

The weight limit of 22.5kg for spring lambs also remains unchanged across all plants for this week.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

Irish Country Meats' (ICM's) quote for spring lambs has remained stationary this week, leaving their quote for the week at €7.60/kg plus a 20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for lambs, enabling €7.80/kg to be obtained for lambs with a carcass-weight of up to 22.5kg.

On the ewe front, the Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €4.30/kg for cull ewes again this week.

This week, Kepak has left their quote for the week at €7.60/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €7.75/kg on offer up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.  

The Roscommon-based Athleague site’s ewe quote also remains unchanged from the last few weeks at €4.30/kg for cull ewes with carcass weights over 20kg.

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

Ballon Meats also remains one of the highest quotes on the lamb front again this week, quoting €7.80/kg for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight this week - a quote that is likewise unchanged from the previous few weeks.

Kildare Chilling’s quote for lambs this week remains unchanged from the last number of weeks at €7.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.

On the ewe front, Kildare are not quoting for ewes of any carcass weight this week.