This week's sheep trade has seen lamb prices hold generally firm as cull ewe price offers have edged up at one site and remain steady at others.

At the higher-end of the price scale, sources have informed Agriland up to €8.00/kg remains available for factory lambs but official quotes remain 30c/kg below this.

A total of 36,000 sheep were slaughtered in the week ending Sunday, November 2, down 6,000 head or 14% on the same week last year.

The total sheep kill to date this year is down 20% or 430,000 head with approximately 1.75 million sheep slaughtered this year.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

This week, more outlets have moved to increase lamb weight limits to 22.5kg.

Kepak is quoting €7.50/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €7.65/kg on offer up to 22.5kg carcass-weight again this week.

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site is quoting €4.30/kg for cull ewes with carcass weights above 20kg again this week.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €7.50/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for lambs, leaving €7.70/kg on offer here up to 22.5kg carcass-weight.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €4.30/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for lambs up to 22.5kg carcass-weight this week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for cull ewes with carcass weights from 35-43kg.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Ballon Meats is quoting €7.70/kg for lambs up to 22kg carcass-weight this week, down 10c/kg from last week.