Kilkenny Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Monday (July 27), where 620 sheep went through the ring, with numbers down marginally on the previous week's trade.

In a mart report issued after the sale, Kilkenny Mart auctioneer George Candler described the trade as "slightly easier" with quotes 10-15c down on last Monday's trade.

Spring lambs for butcher or wholesale trade saw final calls from €195-€245/head, and ranges from €3.70-€4.11/kg. This is down from last week's top price/kg of €4.20/kg.

Commenting on activity ringside, Candler added that trade was "a little easier compared to last week, especially the lighter type lamb, which is due to less activity from factory and store buyers due to lack of grass".

The top call went to a pen of five spring lambs weighing on average 66kg each, sold for €245/head at €3.71/kg.

The top call/kg went to a pen of 25 spring lambs weighing on average 53kg each that sold for €218/head at €4.11/kg.

Below are some sample prices for spring lambs on the day:

A pen of 24 spring lambs weighing on average 56kg each sold for €225/head at €4.02/kg;
A pen of 23 spring lambs weighing on average 49kg each sold for €195/head at €3.98/kg;
A pen of 16 spring lambs weighing on average 54kg each sold for €212/head at €3.93/kg;
A pen of 10 spring lambs weighing on average 57kg each sold for €220/head at €3.86/kg.

Factory type spring lambs sold for between €164-€185/head, with calls ranging from €3.80-€4.02/kg. The top call was €10 down on last week's top bid.

A noticeable sale from the trade was the pen of five spring lambs weighing on average 47kg sold for €180/head at €3.83/kg.

The top call went to a pen of eight spring lambs weighing on average 46kg each that sold for €185/head at €4.02/kg.

Store lambs sold for €3.65-€3.90/kg and between €135-€156/head.

The top call went to a pen of five spring lambs weighing on average 40kg each that sold for €156/head at €3.90/kg.

Other sample prices from the sale include:

A pen of 10 spring lambs weighing on average 49kg each sold for €146/head at €3.74/kg;
A pen of nine spring lambs weighing on average 38kg each that sold for €140/head at €3.68/kg;
A pen of five spring lambs weighing on average 37kg each that sold for €139/head at €3.76/kg.

Commenting further on demand in the trade, Candler added that there was strong clearance rates with 98% of spring lambs sold.

The auctioneer warned that quality presentation was a potential casualty of the drought as the average lamb quality was reduced, unless the farmer was feeding concentrates or feed alternatives to grass.

Cull ewes were the exception to the general downward price trend seen during trade this week.

Cast ewes sold for €154-€324/head, up on last week's top cast ewe trade.