This week's sheep trade has seen one outlet move to reduce its hogget weight limit by 0.5kg for the second consecutive week while a separate outlet has increased its price offering for cull ewes by 20c/kg.

While the rising beef trade is continuing to see new record-high prices paid on a weekly basis, the sheep trade is more stable currently.

With €9.00/kg still widely available for factory hoggets this week, prices are running approximately €1.20/kg above this time last year and while the trade is in a positive position, it remains to be seen what price factories will open their spring lamb offerings at.

At the higher end of the trade, up to €9.20-9.30/kg is being paid for hoggets this week, according to the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) president, Sean McNamara.

As of today (Monday, March 3) Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus leaving €9.00/kg on offer for hoggets here. This outlet is quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes this week.

ICM has reduced its maximum carcass weight specification for hoggets to 23kg from 23.5kg last week and 24kg the previous week.

Kildare Chilling has no official quote for hoggets this week and is quoting €5.20/kg for 'select ewes' grading an E2, E3 or U2 and U3. Regular ewes with carcass weights ranging from 25-40kgs are being quoted at €4.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus leaving €5.00/kg on offer here.

Ballon Meats is quoting €9.00/kg for hoggets and €5.40/kg for cull ewes - up 20c/kg from last week.

Kepak has no official quote for hoggets or cull ewes this week but sources have informed Agriland that prices remain in a similar position to last week.

There were 450 sheep on offer at Ballinrobe Mart on Thursday, February 27, with a 98% clearance in the sale, according to Ballinrobe Mart's manager Teresa Gibsey.

Lambs weighing from 20–30kg ranged in price from from €80-100/head or €2.32-3.81/kg, with an average price of €68/head or €2.63/kg.

In the 31-40kg category, store lambs fetched between €96 and €140/head, equating to €2.82-4.09/kg, with an average of €126/head or €3.52/kg.

Heavier-type lambs ranging from 41–50kg met strong buyer competition seeing prices between €145-196/head or €3.08-4.00/kg, averaging €168/head or €3.69/kg.

Lambs weighing over the 50kg mark achieved prices from €190-212, translating to €3.17-4.16/kg, with an average of €208/head or €3.80/kg.

Cull ewes made from €56-228/head with a 99% clearance while in-lamb ewes made from €98 to €220.