Sheep trade: Up to 570p/kg as quote ‘remain firm’

Read a report on this week’s sheep prices. 

According to the LMC (Livestock and Meat Commission), lamb prices remained around the 565-570p/kg mark up to 22kgs this week.

In its weekly market outlook report, it outlined that quotes from local processors for R3 grading lambs “remained firm”.

In the report, a spokesperson said: “The deadweight lamb price in NI last week was 553.4p/kg, down 11.8p/kg from the previous week.”

“The average deadweight lamb price in ROI last week was the equivalent of 584.1p/kg, down 14.5p/kg from the previous week.”

Throughput

Lamb supplies increased last week with 9,126 lambs processed in local plants, up 1,170 head from the previous week.

In the corresponding week in 2020, 8,992 lambs were processed locally.

A further 6,074 lambs were exported from NI to ROI for direct slaughter last week. This was a “notable decrease” of 1,842 head from the previous week.

In the previous week’s report, the commission reported that quotes from local processors for R3 grade lambs “remained firm”, ranging from 565-570p/kg up to 22kg.

7,956 lambs were processed in local plants the previous week, a decrease of 617 head from the week before.

In the same week last year, 9434 lambs were processed locally. Lamb exports to ROI for direct slaughter totalled 7,916 head, up 527 head from the week prior.

“The deadweight lamb price in NI last week increased by 15.6p/kg to 565.2p/kg.”

“The average deadweight lamb price in ROI last week was the equivalent of 598.6p/kg, up 13.4p/kg from the previous week,” the spokesperson concluded.

Beef prices

According to the Livestock and Meat Commission, beef factories across Northern Ireland (NI) pulled cull cow, heifer, and young bull prices this week.

Its weekly market outlook report outlined that despite this “mixed performance” steer, prices were up slightly on the previous week.

Quotes for in spec U-3 grade prime cattle ranged from 386- 394p/kg this week.

The commission expects quotes to range from 388-394p/kg early next week.

• The average NI steer price was up 1.5p/kg to 393.3p/kg from the previous week, while the R3 steer price increased by 1.2p/kg to 403.9p/kg.
• The average heifer price in NI fell 0.9p/kg to 396.2p/kg, while the R3 heifer price was back 1.3p/kg to 403.9p/kg. In the same week last year, the R3 heifer price was 374.4p/kg, 29.5p/kg behind current levels.
• The average NI young bull price was down by 1.8p/kg to 375.8p/kg, while the R3 young bull price increased by 0.4p/kg to 387.9p/kg.
• Meanwhile, the NI cow trade “came under pressure,” with prices back across all grades from the previous week. The average NI cow price was back 3.8p/kg to 267.7p/kg, with the O3 cow price back 4.6p/kg to 296.6p/kg.

Read more on this beef price update.