There have been few changes in the sheep trade this week (beginning Monday, October 16), but prices for spring lambs have shown slight increases amidst a steady period.
There has also been a higher number of spring lambs sent for processing recently, as seen from the latest sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM).
The figures show that while spring lamb numbers are significantly behind the same time period in 2022, the most recent figures have shown spring lamb supplies in week 40 (ending Sunday, October 8) increased by 3,188 on the previous week.
Spring lambs
Kildare Chilling has offered farmers a quote for Monday only (October 16), which will pay farmers €6.30/kg plus a 10c QA bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs.
They are offering €5.00/kg for light lambs under 17kg, for today only.
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 was reported last week.
Since August 8, 2023, ICM has offered €6.20/kg for a QA lamb, a total of 11 consecutive weeks that the price has remained the same from this processor.
Other outlets have followed suit, offering €6.05/kg plus a 15c QA bonus, a total of €6.20/kg for a QA spring lamb.
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.
ICM is offering €2.60/kg for a ewe up to a 45kg carcass weight, the price remaining the same as last week, while other outlets have offered €2.50/kg for a ewe.