Butchers’ lambs up €10 a head
Factory lambs, improving at a lower rate, have gained €2- €3/head at the live sales and factory prices have increased by up to 11 cents/kg (4p/lb), following gains on Monday which further strengthened yesterday.
In the live trade a top price of €42 over €/kg was paid at Fermoy Mart for butchers’ lambs which sold for €75 - €95/head giving a return of €25 - €42 over €/kg. Up to €71/head was paid for factory lambs with returns ranging €15 - €27 over.
The 700 head on offer met with an excellent trade at prices up by at least €10/head.
At Kilkenny Mart, the entry of 1,500 head also benefited from excellent demand for butchers’ lambs and a good improvement for factory lots. Butchers paid up to €34 over €/kg, an improvement of up to €10/head on last week, while factory buyers paid up to €29 over, an increase of up to €7/head.
Butchers’ lambs made up to €28 over at Blessington Mart where 2,000 head were offered yesterday and prices all round were improved.
At Ennis Mart prices were improved by €5/head at up to €28 over being paid by butchers.
The factory trade is benefiting from an improved export market with higher prices being paid in Britain and France.
Supplies are tight on both markets and demand has improved. The pattern of supply to the Irish factories is also showing a tightening. Intake at the Irish factories is down around 12% on this time last year, amounting to a drop of 12,000 head/week less available for the market.
