Factory quotes for lamb rose for the second week in a row yesterday as the processing sector went in quest of increased supplies ahead of Ramadan.
dding yesterday’s lift of 10c/kg to last week’s 25-30c/kg improvement, that’s a cumulative increase of €7.70-8.80/hd on a 22kg carcase.
Kildare Chilling continue to set the pace with their quote of €6.30+10c/kg quality assurance.
Following last week’s rise of 10c/kg in quotes for cull ewes, factory bosses sat on their hands yesterday. Kildare remain the pick of the bunch on €3.30+10c/kg QA.
The rise in factory quotes for lamb and hogget appears to have worked itself fairly quickly into the mart trade, although prices were also pushed by the bad weather that reduced numbers in many places.
Either way, both Nelius McAuliffe in Dingle and Thomas Potterton in Delvin both reported the mart trade to be “a shade better”.
David Faulken reckoned his averages in Ballymote were up €3-4/hd, with Michael Harty of Roscrea reporting the trade as stronger by €5-7/hd, while lambs in Carnew were up €2-3/hd.
Despite the improved quotes over the last fortnight, ICSA’s Sean McNamara is intent on keeping the pressure on the factories to do more. ICSA have organised a meeting in The Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon for next Tuesday (March 21) at 8pm to discuss the situation. Bord Bia will give a presentation on the market outlook while agriculture consultant Oliver Crowe will answer questions on how to maximise payments under the new CAP.
“I am inviting all sheep farmers to come along and have their say on the state of the sheep sector. The sector is in crisis, and we need to plot a way forward so sheep farming can have a future,” Mr McNamara said.
Meanwhile, Kevin Comiskey of the IFA reported that actual factory prices for hogget now range from €6.35-6.65/kg, with ewes €3.30-3.60/kg.
On the throughput side Bord Bia report that for the week ending March 3, the sheep kill amounted to 48,232 head, bringing the yearly figure to 467,279.
“This is marginally higher than the corresponding period in 2022. The hogget kill for the year to date is running 1pc behind 2022 levels (down 2,800 head), while the ewe kill is operating 8pc higher (up 3,800 head),” Bord Bia say.
Hogget supplies for slaughter are expected to remain strong in the shorter term, with forecasts indicating an additional 50-60,000 available for processing compared to spring 2022.
“The deadweight lamb trade increased by 9c/kg during the week ending March 3 to reflect €6.10/kg. This is 64c/kg below the corresponding week in 2022.”
Bord Bia also note “a more difficult trading environment for lamb” and the negative impact of “inflation pressures” on the market.
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Around the marts
Carnew
Prices here were up, with most lambs lifting by €2-3/hd with just over 1,300 sheep on offer.
Store lambs over 40kg made €129-142/hd, with lighter batches selling for €91-126, while butcher and factory hogget made €143-155/hd. Sample hogget prices included twenty-five 62kg ram and ewe lambs at €155/hd; thirty 51kg ram lambs at €149/hd; and nine 40kg ewe lambs at €129/hd.
Heavy cast ewes made €160-216/hd, with feeder types €74-132/hd.
Among the breeding ewes those in lamb sold from €160-177/hd while those with lambs at foot made €157-190/hd.
Dingle
Nelius McAuliffe reported a smaller sale last week, with just 300 sheep on show. Prices were “a little improved”.
Among the heavier sheep, 52kg hoggets sold to €148/hd, while 33kg store hoggets topped out at €82/hd, with stores in general €48-59/hd with the €/kg.
Ballymote
There were also 300 sheep on offer here, with David Faulken noting that prices for hoggets were better, by €3-4/hd.
This saw the cream of the crop over 50kg make €95-100/hd over the €/kg. Samples included 62kgs at €157 and 54kgs at €153/hd.
Among the lighter lots 38-39kgs sold for €110-117/hd, with 45-46kgs making €133-141/hd.
90+kg cull ewes sold for €160-180/hd, with feeder type ewes in the 50-60kg bracket making €82-110/hd.
Roscrea
With numbers back to 350 because of the poor weather and factories keen here, Michael Harty noted a €5-7/hd improvement in hogget prices.
Samples among the heavier entries included twenty-five 56kg hoggets at€156-159/hd, twenty-three 58kgs at €161/hd and eight 53kgs at €148/hd.
Among the stores 42-45kgs sold for €124-129/hd, with 39kgs making up to €97, while better 37kgs sold for €92-95/hd.
The general run of cast ewes made €90-135/hd, with heavier lots from 78-93kg making €148-170/hd.
Delvin
Numbers here were also weather-affected, but a full clearance was achieved. Thomas Potterton reckoned the trade “a shade better” with various batches of fifteen from 35-36.5kg making €87-89.50/hd.
In the 40kg+ section four 41kg hoggets sold to €112.50/hd with seven at 47.5kg averaging €126.50/hd.#
Corrin
Yesterday’s sale saw numbers reduced, with trade possibly not as good as previously.
There was a top call of €165/hd for 56kgs, with 58kgs selling to €158/hd while 53-56kgs made €153-156/hd. In the lighter section 44kgs sold for €124-126/hd, with one batch at 42kg also making €126/hd.
Cast ewes sold for €90-166/hd, with the majority operating from €135-150/hd.
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