Sheep producers anticipating a jump in demand leading up to the Islamic religious festival of Eid al-Adha are now revising expectations downwards.

Factories were gearing up to handle higher numbers but their appetite seems to be satisfied by numbers already in the system with no major bite from factory agents.

Reports indicate that demand for lambs is being curtailed by a significant number of hoggets remaining in the system and finishers keen to market them this week.

Kepak was the only plant to operate on Monday with most planning to operate at a higher capacity for the remaining four days of this week.

Prices are unchanged with the majority of plants working off an opening quote of €9/kg for quality assured (QA) lambs.

Groups and regular sellers are, in some cases, securing returns of €9.10/kg with top prices a shade higher.

Plants are paying to 21kg carcase weight and resisting requests to pay to 21.5kg. A number of plants are satisfying niche orders for the religious festival on certain days and are weighing carcases with testicles still attached.

Hogget trade

Hogget prices are typically in the region of €7.50/kg. There are some deals at €7.60/kg but reports indicate sellers are facing challenges in negotiating higher prices.

Many deals are also being completed to 23kg carcase weight although there is some negotiations to 23.5kg where hoggets are killing at lighter weights.

Factories have become much more discerning around carcase weight limits and age in the last two weeks.

Depending on the processor-producer relationship, some hoggets are facing price penalties at 25kg with others kicking in at 27kg. A number of plants are also capping at a maximum price in the region of €165 to €170 for carcases deemed of an excessive weight.

There are also threats of paying any hoggets which have set permanent teeth at ewe price, so it is worth clarifying the exact terms if carcase weight or age could be an issue.

Ewe trade

There appears to be a greater focus on hoggets and lambs at the expense of ewes.

Quotes are unchanged at a starting point of €5/kg. There are some deals at €5.10/kg to €5.15/kg with abattoirs specialising in the ewe trade paying upwards of €5.50/kg. The trade in marts has eased by 10c/kg to 20c/kg liveweight with a high percentage of heavier ewes trading from €2.55/kg to €2.80/kg plus.