The current trade for spring lambs has been described as “static”, as there has been little movement in prices this week.
This is according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) sheep chair, Willie Shaw.
Shaw explained that lambs are not coming in as heavy as they have in previous years, and that “factory agents are just that little bit aware that they’re not killing out the way they should.
“That’s reflected in the price in what they’re paying in the mart.”
One factory procurement manager told Agriland that on the condition of lambs, “flesh-wise they’re not coming in too bad”.
However, he added that these lambs are “taking a long time” to get to these weights, as “there’s not an awful lot of lads feeding them at the moment”.
The ICSA sheep chair said: “I think there’s a bit of brightness at the end of the tunnel when it comes to prices. €7.60/kg last week for quality assured lambs if they were fleshed.
“As long as the big numbers of cull ewes keep coming to the marts, lambs will stay where they are.”
Until this happens, Shaw said the trade will remain “static”, unless “the supply drops dramatically.
“Everything is about supply and demand at the end of the day.
“It’s way better than last year, but last year we lost money, so there’s no point in thinking about last year,” Shaw explained.
Sheep trade- spring lambs
ICM is quoting €7/kg plus a 20c/kg quality assured (QA) bonus for spring lambs up to 22kg, a total of €7.20/kg.
Kildare Chilling is not quoting for spring lambs today.
Other outlets are paying €7.05/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 22kg, a total of €7.20/kg.
Cull ewes
Kildare Chilling, for ewes weighing from 35kg to 43kg, is paying €3.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus this week.
The processor is also paying €3.40/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for ewes that are weighing from 23kg to 35kg.
Thin ewes will continue to be paid at €3/kg by Kildare Chilling.
Other processors are paying €3.80/kg plus a QA bonus of 10c/kg for ewes weighing over 30kg.
ICM is paying €4/kg up to 45kg for ewes this week.