Lamb producers left to reflect on a year of lower prices and reduced profits

LAMB producers will remember 2005 as an disappointing year, during which returns were continuously behind the previous year.

They took 7.5% less for lambs, on average, than in 2004, and sold fewer lambs than in 2004, although total sheep slaughterings increased marginally in 2005.

There was a relatively good start to the year for sheep farmers, with prices almost 5% higher in January than for the same month in 2004.