Marts outperform factories as butcher demand stays strong

The current trade is doing nothing to maintain breeder confidence in the sector, which is at a low level

Currently, the factory prices are returning up to €35/head less for lambs than a year ago, which is a large slice of the margin wiped out. File picture

There is more interest from the factories in lambs for this week, but they are reluctant to pay more to get them, with the price on offer unchanged from last week.

The general run of quotes for lambs is 780–790c/kg plus the quality bonus as applicable, which varies between 10c/kg and 20c/kg, adding to producers generally receiving 790–800c/kg as an all-in price.