Sheep prices have started to show signs of the expected increase this month ahead of the Eid al-Adha festival, with spring lamb showing increases of up to 15c/kg since last week.
The prices come this week with the announcement that the residency period from the export criteria for sheep for direct slaughter within the EU has been removed with immediate effect.
This change to how Irish sheep can be exported is expected to make the trade of sheep to Europe easier, and will allow exporters to be able to compete in mart sales for finished lambs.
While cull ewes have remained at similar prices to last week, it is with spring lambs that the biggest price increase has been seen so far this week.
Sheep trade – hoggets
This week, Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.00/kg plus a 10c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus, bringing its offering for hoggets to €7.10/kg. This outlet is paying up to 23kg carcass weight.
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €6.85/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, bringing its offering to €7.05/kg, up to a 23kg carcass weight.
Other outlets are quoting €6.60/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus, paying up to a carcass weight of 23kg.
Spring lamb
Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.70/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21kg, bringing its total price up to €7.80/kg this week.
ICM is quoting €7.55/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, paying up to 20kg for a spring lamb.
Prices as low as €7.35/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 21kg have been quoted from other outlets.
Cull ewes
Kildare Chilling is quoting €3.50/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus up to 40kg carcass weight, offering a total of €3.60/kg for a ewe this week.
ICM is quoting €3.30/kg for ewes, with other outlets quoting €3.40/kg up to a weight of 46kg.