Base factory lamb quotes are unchanged for the first time in a number of weeks.

Opening prices on offer for quality assured (QA) lambs are all in the region of €8.70/kg – this includes a base of €8.50/kg plus 20c/kg QA payment in the two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants, a base of €8.60/kg plus 10c/kg QA in Kildare Chilling and an all-in quote of €8.60/kg in Ballon Meats.

Kildare’s presence in the official quotes table has slightly boosted the payment to groups operating on the average of quoted prices.

Reports indicate prices for R grading lambs range from €8.80/kg to €8.85/kg, with U grade lambs and prices paid to sellers with strong negotiating power rising to upwards of €8.90/kg.

The steadier tone to the trade is being helped by relatively tight supplies and a reported improvement in market dynamics.

Last week’s kill fell marginally by about 500 head to 39,083. Lamb throughput increased by 5,088 head to reach 31,599, but throughput of 3,874 hoggets was down 4,399 head, while the ewe and ram kill of 3,606 fell by 1,137.

With tighter numbers, agents remain keen for hoggets meeting their desired specification. Base quotes are in the region of €7.10/kg to €7.20/kg, but upwards of €7.40/kg to €7.50/kg has been paid to regular sellers for hoggets yet to set teeth and weighing less than 23kg carcase weight.

The decline in hogget numbers and in particular the drop in heavy carcase weight hoggets is inserting more life into the trade for cull ewes. There is a significant difference in prices paid for ewes, with opening quotes at just €4.50/kg.

Sellers with considerable numbers of top-quality ewes are securing upwards of €4.70/kg to €4.80/kg, while abattoirs and plants specialising in the ewe trade are negotiating as high as €5/kg to €5.30/kg for choice ewes.

Numbers on offer in mart sales have also tightened, adding more life to the live trade.

Northern trade

The trade in Northern Ireland continues to be driven by firm interest from a number of buyers from Britain purchasing significant numbers.

The number of sheep exported to Britain for direct slaughter increased by over 1,500 head to reach 2,870.

Reports indicate that over 1,500 sheep were also exported live under a breeding and fattening certificate, bringing total exports for the week to over 4,000 head. This is inserting much more life into the trade.

Factories have had to increase prices by 20p/kg with base quotes for Thursday rising to £7.10/kg (€8.33/kg).

The number of sheep exported south for direct slaughter in Ireland reduced by over 1,600 head to 1,980, while numbers exported to continental Europe halved to about 350 head. The sheep kill at 7,565 head reduced by 218 sheep.

The AHDB reports average British prices rising by 24p/kg last week to average £7.49/kg (€8.78/kg). This is despite numbers increasing by 40%.