Very disappointing early price for spring lamb

LAMB prices have lifted in the UK over the past week, but that trend has still to filter through to Ireland, where the opening factory quotes for the week were less favourable.

New season lamb in the UK strengthened to the equivalent of 466 cents/kg (166p/lb), gaining up to 25p/kg over the previous week. But prices at Irish factories slipped by a further 15 cents/kg (5p/lb) for spring lamb this week, bringing the base price on offer down to 435 cents/kg (155p/lb), which is very disappointing for sheep farmers so early in the season.

The supply of lambs to the factories here is between 42,000 and 43,000 per week.

Hogget prices range from 335 to 340 cents/kg (119p to 121p/lb).

In the marts, the prices have held steady, although interest from factories is reported to have eased. A stronger trade was reported from Fermoy on Monday, where new season lambs sold for up to €102 or from €40 to 51 over €1/kg. Hoggets sold for €50 to 80, or €10 to 29 over, and cast ewes made €20 to €58 per head.

There were 850 head on offer at Kilkenny on Monday, where spring lambs ranged from €39 over to €44 over. Hoggets sold at €20 over to €30 over, and cull ewes from €25 to €65 over.

In France, the trade is steady, showing very little change over the past week. There is a plentiful supply of UK hoggets.

Irish hogget lamb is selling at up to 380 cents/kg, while the new season Irish lamb is making 450 to 480 cents/kg (160p to 171p/lb). Supplies of hoggets are tapering off.