Price boom was over as soon as it started

THE rise in lamb prices faded almost as quickly as it arrived, leaving sheep-farmers pinching themselves and wondering if the short-lived boost was only a dream.

As the quoted prices at the factories came back sharply to a 365 to 360 cents/kg (130p-128p/lb) range on Monday, it was almost as if the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK never happened.

However, it did, and the ban on UK exports remains in place. With live sales also banned, prices being paid to British farmers have slipped to the equivalent of 340 to 350 cents/kg.