THE lamb trade at the factories started the new year at least on a par with where it finished for 2011, or slightly improved, at a very positive level for sheep farmers.

ALTHOUGH there is very little change in prices quoted for lambs at factories this week, a very positive year for sheep farmers is ending on a very solid base.

LAMB prices are stable at factories this week, promising a favourable end to the best year of lamb prices for a long time, rewarding sheep farmers who stayed with the business through the difficult years.

THE upward trend in lamb prices at factories has been maintained this week.

THE upward price trend in the lamb trade has been maintained this week.

THE recovery in the lamb prices at the factories has continued this week with further gains giving the upcoming seasonal trade a real boost.

THE run of weekly increases in factory lamb prices which delivered record seasonal returns has ended.

IT’S summer in November for sheep farmers, as prices for lambs advance to levels usually seen in June.

IT has been another happy week for sheep farmers, as lamb prices significantly improved at the factories.

THE recovery in lamb prices continued at factories this week, as supplies tightened.

MOVEMENT in lamb prices at the factories is limited this week, but at least positive for farmers, with a marginal improvement in prices on offer at some plants.

THERE has been further slippage in lamb prices at some processing plants this week, reflecting market instability on the continent.

THERE is a steadier tone to the trade for lambs at factories this week.

QUOTED prices from the factories for the lambs for this week are almost similar to a week earlier, but in the background there is note of more uncertainty on the stability of the trade forward.

THERE is very little overall change in quoted prices for lambs at factories for this week.

THERE is no joy for sheep farmers in the prices quoted for their lambs at factories this week.

NORTHERN Ireland’s John A Patterson, from Crumlin, Co Antrim, showed the Alltech senior cow champion, Wiltor Goldwyn Lausine, at last weekend’s Emerald Expo Livestock Event at the Hub, Cillin Hill, Kilkenny.

IT is another very positive week for sheep farmers, with further price improvements at the factories.

ON the surface, no change is apparent in the hogget trade at factories this week, but there is some tweaking in price deals behind the scenes.

LAMB prices steadied at the factories this week, as supply matched demand, leaving little room for manoeuvre on price.

ANOTHER good week for sheep farmers, with quoted prices for this week strengthened by 10 cents/kg.

WEAKER overall demand has been reflected in a drop in prices for lambs at factories this week.

THERE is a steadier tone to the trade for lambs at factories this week.

THERE is some variation in the trend on lamb prices at the factories for this week, but overall change has been slight as is the variation between the plants.

THERE has been a sharp downturn in prices for lambs at the factories this week, reversing the trend of recent weeks.

THERE is optimism among sheep farmers that the worst may be over for the present, with price improvement turning the tide in their favour.

Marts: Eight factories increased the prices paid for cattle for last week’s kill in a partial reversal of the sharp decline in the return to producers the previous week as the downturn in supplies continued.

Marts: The average price for beef has increased by 5-6c/kg (2p/lb) setting a new record as competition between the processors for stock delivers higher returns to producers on a total kill of 28,099 — incl bullocks at 9,949.

Marts: There have been further gains in beef prices at the factories as the supply tightens and processors come under more pressure to get cattle to supply orders.

Marts: Heifer prices increased by an average of 4c/kg (1.3p/lb) at the factories over the past week.

Marts: Beef prices have dropped by an average of 3c/kg (1p/lb) at the factories after resistance from producers succeeded in holding returns above the quoted rates by the processors, with some of the 38,701 kill last week bought forward at the previous week’s prices.

Marts: A majority of the beef factories paid more for beef — despite a strong increase in the supply — for last week’s kill, underpinning confidence in a stable trade.

Marts: Such has been the demand for cattle at the factories over the past week that an increase of over 4,000 in the supply of bullocks failed to deter the average price gaining a further 1 cent/kg — the third consecutive week of price gains.

Marts: Producers with R grade cattle to sell are strongly resisting factory price cuts and processors are paying significantly more than the quoted prices for their supplies.

Marts: Beef prices have turned the corner in a positive direction for producers over the past week regaining most of the recent decline in returns from the factories for bullocks and heifers and boosting cow prices.

Marts: Beef prices have slumped below 2006 level — for the first time this year — after the worst week for the dead trade in several months plunged finished into deeper losses.

Marts: A strong improvement in the prices being paid by processors for cattle has brought about a good recovery in the supply to the factories.

Marts: A turnaround in beef prices at the factories has been confirmed with a majority of processing centres paying more for cattle last week.