SHARING OPTIONS:
Weather is reported as holding back the performance of February lambing flocks and in turn limiting the number of sheep curentl coming stream. \ Houston Green
The sheep trade remains solid, with tight supplies continuing to maintain a strong floor under the trade.
The rate at which lambs are coming on to the market appears to have slowed somewhat in the last week.
Reports suggest this is due to weather limiting the performance of lambs in February-lambing flocks, with both daily liveweight gain and kill-out potential suffering.
Unchanged prices
The price of spring lambs is unchanged, with base quotes ranging from €7.60/kg to €7.80/kg and a high percentage of lambs trading at a price of €7.80/kg to €8/kg.
The sheep trade remains brisk, with good demand from both factory agents and butchers.
Raphoe Mart had a big entry of hoggets on Monday and prices ranged from €110/head to a top of €282 for a pair of super Texel hoggets weighing 77.5kg each.
This Texel-cross fat ewe weighed 75kg and sold for €196.
Light spring lambs in the 34kg to 38kg weight category sold from €120/head to €140/head.
Heavier lambs in the 38kg to 43kg weight category sold from €140/head to €160/head, while spring lambs weighing from 43kg to 50kg sold from €160/head to €186/head.
These seven hoggets weighed 55kg and sold for €186/head.
SHARING OPTIONS:
The beef trade in Northern Ireland is on a positive footing, with prices rising as processing demand grows. The sheep trade has steadied, with the live ring keeping competition in the market.
There is much more life in the beef trade this week as processors react to tighter supplies and a rampant market in Britain.
Processing demand is running well ahead of supplies, putting farmers in the driving seat when negotiating on price.
With factories hungry for stock, farmers report they are being contacted by cattle agents working for different plants and a range of price deals are on offer.
The performance of the sheep trade for the year to date continues to set price records, with spring lambs now added to the list.
Factory lamb prices range in general from €7.80/kg to €8/kg, with some deals completed at a 10c/kg to 15c/kg higher level with regular suppliers supplying high numbers.
While factories have been keen to get their hands on spring lambs, they remain a small component of overall throughput, with hoggets dominating the trade.
The trade for hoggets had eased slightly in places at the end of last week and start of this week, with prices ranging from €7.15/kg to €7.30/kg.