This week in the sheep trade, prices for spring lambs have dropped by 10c/kg since last week from sheep processing factories.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) sheep chair, Sean McNamara, said the prices for spring lamb in the sheep trade this week have been “pulled”.
“Anyone with good, fit lambs, head to the mart,” he added, as spring lamb prices there are continuing to be more favourable for farmers.
Spring lamb prices
Kildare Chilling has reduced its offering for lambs at the start of this week by 10c/kg, and provided a quote to farmers yesterday (Monday, November 27) only, of €6.40/kg, plus a 10c quality assured (QA) bonus up to 22kg for spring lambs, a total of €6.50/kg.
They are offering €5.00/kg for light lambs under 16kg, or those that are grading from an O2 to P1.
This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) has also reduced its quotes by 10c/kg, and is offering €6.25/kg plus a 20c QA bonus, bringing its offering to €6.45/kg up to a 22.5kg carcass weight for a spring lamb.
Other outlets have offered a price of €6.30/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, a total of €6.45/kg, and a 5c/kg reduction since last week.
Cull ewe prices
Kildare Chilling has maintained its quotes for farmers for cull ewes, while the price differed depending on the weight of the ewe.
In its quotes for Monday only, the outlet offered €2.60/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for ewes from 23kg to 35kg.
For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling offered 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.
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 are offering €2.50/kg for a cull ewe.