The sheep trade remains solid, despite a slight easing in some cases in average prices paid.
Factory agents have been trying hard over the last week to reduce prices, but have continually met opposition and, in many cases, have been forced to concede some ground to secure supplies, with numbers still relatively tight.
A high percentage of lambs have traded in recent days in a price bracket of €7.80/kg to €8/kg, with top prices rising 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher in deals involving large numbers or where conformation bonuses or allowances on transport are take into account.
Plants are trying hard as the week progresses to curtail top prices to €8/kg. Base quotes for Thursday have reduced on average to €7.55/kg to €7.70/kg, excluding quality assurance (QA) bonuses.
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.
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Buying for Ramadan has started and this will keep a strong floor under the trade.
Quarter one of 2021 has positioned itself firmly in the record books with the excellent trade for hoggets and cull ewes now joined by spring lambs topping the €200 per head mark.
A number of sales held over the last week breached the €200 per head mark for small numbers of top-quality spring lambs.