NI sheep prices August 2021
According to the Livestock and Meat Commission, factories increased quotes for lambs by up to 10p/kg over the last week.
Its weekly market report outlined that quotes from the plants for R3 grading lambs ended this week ranging from 480-485p/kg up to 21kg.
NI sheep prices August 2021
However, despite the increase, the average NI deadweight lamb price decreased by almost 3p/kg to 469.9p/kg.
In ROI last week, the average lamb price was the equivalent of 516.3p/kg, back 13.3p/kg from the previous week.
Lamb throughput in NI plants last week totalled 10,062 head. This is back 418 head from the previous week and a greater 1,435 head decrease from the same week in 2020.
A further 5,520 lambs were exported to ROI for direct slaughter last week, back 1,366 head from the previous week.
Furthermore, in the same week last year, the north exported 6,797 lambs to ROI for direct slaughter.
Lamb market outlook
According to IFA national sheep chairman, Sean Dennehy, the outlook for lamb prices for the remainder of 2021 is “positive”.
He said farmers moved “significant” numbers of lambs in the past few weeks to meet the demand for the Eid festival.
“Farmers have moved lambs at lighter weights this year with average carcase weights back 0.5kg for the year.”
“This has reduced the volume of sheep meat in the marketplace, a situation replicated in the UK and ensures there won’t be a glut of lambs to come out.”
He pointed out that breeding sales will be starting, and combined with the strong store trade, will provide competition to factories for lambs.
“Lamb prices are high in the UK and France ensuring Irish lamb remains very competitive in the marketplace.”
Furthermore, in the UK, sheep meat production is expected to drop 7% from the previous year. The reopening of the foodservice sector will help strong domestic consumption.
Update on beef prices.
