Exceptional fatstock prices for sheep farmers in strong market
Quoted prices at factories are unchanged.
Most processors offer 480 cents/kg plus the usual bonus payments for quality.
At one plant, the base on offer is 490 cents/kg plus the bonus payments, and 490 cents/kg all-in is on offer at another processor.
Supplies are reported to be relatively tight, and good demand for lambs has left sheep farmers in a strong position to bargain with processors, which they are doing to good effect, securing 500 cents/kg in general, and negotiating some concessions on the cut-off carcase weight.
The trade at the mart sales on Monday was also reported to be improved on last week.
There were 600 head on offer at Corrin Mart, where prices were improved in general, and some exceptional prices were paid for the best animals in the fatstock sheep show and sale.
Up to €170/head was paid by butchers for 59kg, and €150/head for 56 kg, while the more general run of trade returned €52 over to €70 over.
There were 680 head on offer on Monday at Kilkenny Mart, where the trade was livelier than the previous week.
Butchers paid up to €59 over and the factory lots sold for up to €61 over.
In Britain, the trade continued to be underpinned by demand and tight supplies over the past week.
The lambs were making the equivalent of around 475 cents/kg deadweight during the week.
In France, the trade remained slow, with the anticipated rise in demand for Christmas yet to materialise.
There were a number of ongoing promotions focussed mainly on shoulders, legs and forequarters.
Grade 1 Irish lamb was making 541 cents/kg (incl VAT) towards the end of last week.
