This week's sheep trade sees no lift in factory price offers for hoggets or cull ewes as hogget price remains approximately €1.30/kg below this time last year.

Meanwhile, cull ewe price is approximately 70c/kg below this time last year.

Hopes of a price lift ahead of Ramadan which began last Tuesday, February 17 which generally sees a lift in demand for lamb, have so far failed to materialise.

Weather conditions have resulted in many farmers moving on their forward and fit hoggets as ground conditions and grass supplies are proving challenging after the prolonged wet conditions.

Sheep trade: factory prices

This week, 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 23kg carcass-weight.

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site is quoting €4.30-4.40/kg for cull ewes 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 23kg carcass-weight again this week.

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 €7.50/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for hoggets up to 23kg carcass-weight again this week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.40/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for cull ewes with carcass weights from 35-43kg.

For cull ewes from 25-35kg carcass-weight, Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.00 plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, leaving €4.10/kg on offer here.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €7.60/kg for hoggets this week and €5.00/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Factory sheep kill numbers to date this year are up 4% or 9,300 head on last year, with a total of almost 268,000 sheep slaughtered at Irish factories to date this year.