Sheep farmers advised to focus on their margins

Sheep farmers need to focus on margins rather than on improved prices being paid for spring lamb, industry figures said at the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association National Sheep Conference in Carlow yesterday.

ICSA president Gabriel Gilmartin cautioned that rising costs of fuel, land rental, seed and fertiliser mean that sheep farmers need to receive at least €7/kg for spring lamb, with €5.50/kg for summer lamb. Anything less could undermine the present recovery, the sector’s strongest performance since the early 1990s.

“The future is bright for the Irish sheep sector,” Mr Gilmartin said. “2011 was a very strong year with prices never too far from €5/kg but one good year does not mean that all is secure for sheep farmers. We need a number of positive years to help stem the outflow as well as offsetting the rapid escalation of input costs.