Large sales of cast ewes sell for €25 to €65
Lower supplies in Britain and France have helped to steady the market, but the worry is that this is due to a lower supply of lambs rather than any lift in consumption.
Base prices at the factories range from 372 back to 370 cents/kg (133p or 132p/lb) with the usual bonus of 6 cents/kg for quality lambs.
At the marts, the trade has been variable, depending on location and demand.
A strong trade was reported from Fermoy Mart on Monday, where there were 700 head on offer. Butcher’s lambs made €80 to 92/head, or €30 over to €42 over. Factory lots sold for €60 to €79/head, or €25 over to €33 over.
There was a very large sale of cast ewes, which sold for €25 to 65/head.
There was an increased sale at Kilkenny of 1,200 head, and the overall trade was quieter. Butchers lambs made €28 over to €38 over €1/kg. The factory lots ranged from €27 to 37 over. A big entry of cast ewes ranged from €25 to 65/head.
In Britain , last week’s bad weather restricted supplies. Prices improved to the equivalent of 400 cents/kg (including VAT). Numbers going through sales increased through the middle of the week before easing off again toward the end of the week.
In France, the trade improved as a result of a lower supply, with less lamb available from Britain and Ireland. The price for top quality Irish lamb was reported to be improved by 20 to 30 cents/kg, to range from 410 to 420 cents/kg.
