Farmer customers are still evident around the country’s marts and are keeping upward pressure on the price of store lambs, according to mart managers.

New Ross had 860 sheep on offer last Saturday and Mart Manager Richard Kirwan said that there was “good demand” for butcher and factory type lots.

Butcher lambs made from €100-105/head while factory lots sold from €88-100/head, he said.

He added that there was a strong farmer presence around the ring for store lambs with lots selling from €79-88/head.

“There are farmers buying lambs that haven’t bought sheep in years. It is the farmer that is driving the store trade.”

Feeder type ewes generally sold from €66-87/head at the Wexford venue while heavier types sold from €100-137/head.

Dowra Mart reported a similar trade last Friday with strong farmer demand for store lambs.

Mart Manager Terry McGovern said that the trade remained unchanged from last week.

“There was not much change with plenty of buyers, fat lambs are making much the same as last week and there were plenty buyers for store lambs.”

Small store lambs sold from €50-75 while heavier lots made €80-90. The hammer fell for factory lots at €90-105/head.

McGovern said that light type cast ewes sold for €48-65/head while better quality ewes made €90-95/head.

There was a massive sheep sale in Dowra on Monday with 3,000 sheep on offer with farmers still buying store lambs, according to the mart manager.

Anne Harkin said that there was a strong trade for store lambs with lots making €33-68 over. Factory lambs cleared from €42-62 over while the heavier butcher type lamb sold for €34-63 over.

Cast ewes sold from €66-144/head she added.

The trade had eased slightly in Macroom according to mart manager Tim McSweeney.

Factory lambs ranged from €82-99/head with the lots averaging out €2/kg. Store lambs sold from €73-79 or €2.20/kg.

“The trade was brisk enough, but it may be back a slight bit on last week” he said.

Mountbellew also reported a very good trade on Friday last, the mart reported.

There were 120 pens of lambs on offer. Store type lambs sold for €2.15-2.25/kg while factory type lambs made €2.00-2.06/kg.

There was also a selection of breeding ewes on offer in the west venue. 10 suffolk hoggests sold for €170 and 13 first crop ewes sold for €155/head.

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