Lamb market cooling after record run of prices

Sheep market report

Up to 550 cents/kg, and in exceptional cases 560 cents/kg, is being secured by some farmers this week for lambs.

Sheep farmers have detected a cooling off in the trade for lambs at the factories this week, after a record run of prices over recent weeks.

Some processors have eased their quoted prices as much as 10 cents/kg this week, but the majority stayed unchanged in a narrow price band of 520-530 cents/kg, with the usual bonus for quality adding 10 cents/kg for qualifying lambs.

Price cuts were at the higher end of the trade.

However, processors still have to pay above their quoted prices to get supplies.

Up to 550 cents/kg, and in exceptional cases 560 cents/kg, is being secured by some farmers this week.

A steady trade is reported from the marts, with some reporting a tighter supply of lambs.

There was a small entry of 300 head on Monday at Corrin Mart, where the trade was reported to be steady.

Butchers paid up to €75 over. A pen of nine weighing 55 kgs sold for €130, and a pen of 11 weighing 51 kgs made €126. A pen of 12 weighing 49 kgs made €124. Factory lots sold for up to €67 over.

There were 650 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart on Monday with a high percentage made up of stores, and lambs in short supply.

Butchers’ lambs sold for up to €76 over. The top selling lot was a pen of ten weighing 54 kgs and selling for €130. Factory lambs sold for up to €63 over.