Spring lamb trade eases further as prices slide another 20c/kg

The supply of spring lambs available to the market over the past few weeks has continued to increase steadily and there is a good supply of quality spring lambs available to the factories and the live trade.

The trade for spring lambs has slipped further at the factories this week, while the demand for supplies is holding firm and the hoggets are getting scarce.

A reduction of 20c/kg on prices for the lambs has brought returns back to 880c/kg at most of the factories, with an additional 20c/kg to be added for quality assurance and a carcase cut-off weight of 21.5kg generally applying. Add in the quality bonus of up to 20c/kg and most suppliers are getting a 900c/kg return.

The continued slippage in price is being attributed to "usual seasonal" factors which impact on market demand at this time of the season.

The supply of spring lambs available to the market over the past few weeks has continued to increase steadily and there is a good supply of quality spring lambs available to the factories and the live trade as the hogget trade nears the end of the season.

Hogget prices have slipped in line with the lambs, with a base of 780c/kg plus the quality bonus on offer for this week.

A bigger entry of over 600 head at Kilkenny Mart on Monday met with a positive trade at firm prices. There was more activity from factory agents and wholesalers to sustain the base.

There was a top price of €244 paid for a lot of butchers' lambs weighing 53kg. A pen of eight weighing 53kg sold for €232, while a lot of 10 weighing 55kg made €222, and five weighing 53kg fetched €211. The factory-type lots sold for up to €148 over.

There was also good demand at Corrin Mart on Monday, where the top price was €230 for a lot of butchers' lambs weighing 58kg. Another lot weighing 51kg sold for €226 and 10 weighing 50kg made €224.