Lamb prices take a hammering this week
Lamb prices this week are at their lowest since the start of 2021. File Picture.
Lamb prices at the factories have taken a hammering this week, which has turned into being the worst of 2021 on the price front for the sheep men.
Most of the factories were not quoting for lambs at the beginning of the week while negotiating with the suppliers on returns which dropped the price by up to 70cents/kg on last week.
It does not come as any consolation to the sheep men that their returns are still a bit ahead of where they were a year ago.
It has been a long and late spring for finishing lamb which as added greatly to the costs incurred.
Word around the country is that 600cents/kg appears to be the going rate at the factories with the bonus for quality to be added and some suppliers claiming to be able to secure up to 20cents/kg above that.
Quieter markets, lamb from outside sources coming in, and competition on the continent are all reasons being put forward for the sharp downturn, which may be more likely a combination of some element of all rather than any one.
The downturn at the factories was replicated at the live sales at the marts on Monday where larger entries met with a weaker trade.
There was 450 head on offer at Corrin where butchers paid up to €100 over for Spring lambs.
There was a top price of €155 for a pen of five weighing 55kgs.
A pen of five weighing 48kgs sold for €146 and a pen of 12 weighing 50 kgs made €142.
The factory type sold for up to €84 over.
There was 630 head on offer at Kilkenny on Monday where the prices were back by €6-€10/head in general with some categories showing a decline of up to €14/head.
Butchers paid up to €82 over.
A pen of ten weighing 50kgs sold for €132, while a pen of five weighing 57kgs made €135 and a pen of nineteen weighing 53kgs sold for €132.
Factory-type lambs sold for up to €85 over.
