Sheep trade: Spring lamb prices fall below €9.00/kg
Up to 20c/kg has been cut from spring lamb prices, and many of the processors are less interested in hoggets as markets have now moved on to this year's lambs.
Procurement staff have told Agriland that there are 'reasonably good numbers of spring lambs' coming available and these lambs are generally all arriving well finished with good carcasses.
This week, Kepak is quoting €8.65/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.80/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This offer is down 20c/kg since last week.
The Athleague, Co. Roscommon-based processor is quoting €7.00/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus for hoggets up to 23kg carcass weight leaving €7.15/kg on offer here. This price offer is back 25c/kg from last Tuesday.
Kepak is quoting €4.80 and €4.90/kg for cull ewes.
Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.70/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, leaving €8.90/kg on offer here up to 21kg carcass weight. This price is down 10c/kg since last Tuesday.
The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €7.00/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, leaving €7.20/kg on offer here to 23kg carcass weight. This offer is down 30c/kg since last week.
ICM is quoting €4.75/kg for cull ewes – down 25c/kg since last week.
Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €8.60/kg for spring lambs and €5.30/kg for cull ewes.
Kildare Chilling has no official quotes this week but farmer-sources have told Agriland the factory is paying approximately €8.80/kg for spring lambs, €7.30/kg for QA hoggets and €5.00/kg for QA cull ewes.
Sheep trade at Kilkenny Mart
There were 450 sheep on offer at Kilkenny Mart today (Monday, June 9), with spring lamb prices described as 'disappointing and €20-30/head behind 2024 prices at this time of year,' according to auctioneer George Candler.
The top call for spring lambs in the sale was €220/head or €4.31/kg for a pen of 10 lambs with an average weight of 51kg.
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