Live lamb trade heats up with €6-10/head lift in mart prices

Suppliers are reporting that, in general, 800c/kg is being paid for the lambs, with supplies tight and the factories anxious for intake.

Unchanged prices are being quoted for the lambs at the factories, with demand strong and available supplies tight as the lead-up to Christmas gets under way.

The brightest spark in the trade is the improved live trade for the lambs at the mart sales, with full clearances at €6–10/head up on last week.

The general quote for lambs at the factories is 760c/kg plus the quality bonus of 10–20c/kg, depending on the individual factory, for the qualifying lambs.

However, suppliers are reporting that, in general, 800c/kg is being paid for the lambs, with supplies tight and the factories anxious for intake. Some suppliers are getting a few cents a kilo over for larger numbers and good-quality lambs.

Smaller entries at the live sales at the marts for the early days this week contributed to full clearances, with strong demand and prices improved by €6–10/head on last week.

Prices for the tops of the lambs at Kilkenny Mart on Monday peaked at €209, which was aided by a smaller entry of 480 head and strong demand leading to a full clearance.

Top of the sale was a pen of 14 butcher's lambs weighing 57kg, which sold for €209. A lot of six weighing 59kg sold for €205, while five weighing 54kg made €199, and eight weighing 66kg sold for €196. The factory-type lambs made up to €124 over.

At Corrin Mart on Monday, there was a top price of €194 for a pen of nine butcher's lambs weighing 63kg. A lot of two weighing 57kg made €190, while nine weighing 52kg sold for €189, and 11 weighing 52kg sold for €184.