Factory cuts questioned as numbers continue to drop off
The factories say the trade has flatlined since Easter, with Ramadan before that not as vigorous as other years.
By contrast, IFA sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said last week that while 'Easter and Ramadan did drive strong prices, tighter supplies on the ground should keep prices strong for farmers.
'The recent move by factories to cut prices is at odds with the market conditions. Throughput has continued to drop off with numbers well back from this time last year, and a further drop expected.'
Department of Agriculture figures show that factory slaughterings in the week running up to Easter Sunday (April 20) totalled 45,341 – this was up 10,811 on the same week last year but back 13,702 on Easter week for 2024.
The total kill for the year is back 18pc or 148,769 on the same period last year at 656,669.
Imports from the North for direct slaughter in the Republic fell by around to 10,000 during March to just over 30,000; the Livestock and Meat Commission put number of sheep exported for slaughter to the Republic for the year to mid-April at 86,618.
Meanwhile trade in the UK continues to fall further behind the market here, with deadweight lamb prices averaging €8.25/kg there for the week ending April 19.
As to what is being paid on ground here, ICSA sheep chair Willie Shaw said spring lambs in general are still being bought at €9.20/kg, while bigger operators and groups were struggling into a top of €9.40/kg.
He said hoggets are mostly making around €8.65/kg, with the very top at €8.90/kg, again for those with bigger numbers, while culls continue to range from €5.50-5.65/kg.
ADVERTISEMENT
Learn more
Marts reported smaller numbers last week, with prices softening on the back of reduced factory prices and a wet and cold week: returns in some areas were back €30-40/hd across all sections when compared to pre-Easter.
However, Ennis mart manager Martin McNamara was upbeat about yesterday's sale, describing it as 'better than expected', with spring lambs averaging €4.35/kg.
George Candler, though, described the trade in Kilkenny yesterday as 'very disappointing, especially for spring lambs, with a difference of €10-20/hd on last year's returns.
'Current prices would not offer a lot of encouragement for those who would be interested in expanding their numbers.'
What many in the business cannot get their head around is that while beef is making up to €8.20/kg, sheep are struggling in a market where numbers have all but collapsed.
In Kilkenny, butcher's hoggets peaked at €210/hd for 68kgs, although better types at 58-59kg made €2.06-207/hd, with eleven at 52kg selling for €196/hd or €3.77/kg.
On the spring lamb side, the top call was the €218/hd or €3.96/kg paid for ten 55kgs. 44-45kgs sold for €187-188/hd or €4.07-4.18/kg, while 43-44kgs made €186-87/hd or €4.25-4.33/kg.
The top call among the factory hoggets was the €180/hd for 47kgs, with 45-46kgs making €170-178/hd and 42-43kgs at €170-173/hd.
Cast ewes sold for €110-320/hd.
Around the marts
Ennis mart
Trade was 'better than expected' at yesterday's sale of 510 sheep, according to Martin McNamara
Spring lambs averaged €4.35/kg, with a batch of 52.5kgs making €237/kg and 43.5kgs reaching €212/hd.
Hoggets averaged €3.45/kg to a top of €3.95/kg. Ten 46kgs sold for €182/hd.
Cull ewes averaged €2.59/kg, with heavy ewes selling to €3/kg.
Ewes with singles at foot sold to €370/hd, while those with doubles made up to €415/family.
Enniscorthy mart
Kevin Murphy attributed last week's smaller numbers to falling factory quotes, and spring lambs prices were down here: 40-44kgs generally made €186-198/hd.
Seven 101kg cull ewes made €275/hd and 90kgs sell to €272/hd, but even these prices were back €30-40/hd on three weeks ago. 70-72kgs sold from €168-172/hd with 77kgs making €202/hd.
'Poor factory pricing is encouraging farmers to keep sheep on hand' Kevin said.
Ballinrobe mart
Numbers were reduced on Thursday, with prices also softening.
Hoggets ranged from €162-202/hd or €3.36-4.25/kg, averaging €3.57/kg.
Cull ewes made up the bulk of the sheep on offer, making €90-296/hd (€1.91-3.30/kg) and averaging €191/hd or €2.75/kg.
Ewes with lambs at foot sold from €200/unit to €340/unit for one with twins at foot.
Fermoy mart
Numbers here were down to 260 last Monday. Spring lambs sold for €190-210/hd.
Sean Leahy reported trade for hogget as being 'sticky enough', with 52-53kgs making around €200/hd and better quality at around €220/hd.
Numbers of cull ewes were strong with their trade no less so: 100kg types generally made €300/hd, with the top at €306/hd.
Lighter culls from 70-80kg made €255-260/hd, but 85kg Texels sold for €280-285/hd.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- RTÉ News
Snap's revenue growth slowest in over a year as competition, ad platform glitch hurt
Snap has reported its slowest quarterly growth in more than a year, hurt by a temporary glitch in its ad platform and advertiser preference for bigger rivals such as Meta, sending its shares down over 16% in extended trading. The Snapchat-parent said it had resolved the error that unintentionally allowed some ads to run at much lower prices. Snap faces tough competition from the likes of TikTok and Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, with advertisers preferring the larger platforms as they curtail marketing budgets amid economic uncertainty. Rivals Meta and Reddit reported upbeatsecond quarter results last week. "The digital ad tailwinds that propelled Meta and Reddit to blowout quarters turned into a light breeze for Snap," said eMarketer principal analyst Jasmine Enberg. Under different circumstances, investors might have overlooked its ad platform misstep, but "there is little room for mistakes," she added. Snap's quarterly revenue was also impacted by the timing of Ramadan, which influenced ad spending patterns. The end of the "de minimis" exemption - a US duty-free import provision - also prompted some Chinese advertisers to reduce their marketing budgets. In April, ad revenue declined about 1% before "largely recovering" through May, and triggering the company to roll out Sponsored Snaps - a new video ads format that appears in user inboxes - more broadly in June, said CFO Derek Andersen. The company said its expanded roll-out of Sponsored Snaps across the US and several other global regions is driving more user actions and deeper engagement with ad content. The Santa Monica, California-based company reported second-quarter revenue of $1.34 billion, up around 8.7% from last year and largely in line with estimates, but lower than the double-digit growth it recorded in the last five quarters. Its net loss widened to $263 million from $249 million a year ago. Small and medium-sized businesses were the largest contributors to ad revenue growth and its subscription service Snapchat+ remained a key driver for diversifying revenue beyond ads. Snapchat+ subscribers rose 42% to nearly 16 million for the quarter ended June 30. Daily active users rose 9% to 469 million, compared with estimates of 467.9 million. The company forecast third-quarter revenue between $1.48 billion and $1.51 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $1.48 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Sheep price cuts make no sense with the supply collapsing, says ICSA
Sheep price cuts defy logic as supply collapses, says the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA). 'It is one thing getting a bad price when there is an oversupply - but getting a bad price when there's an undersupply is something else entirely,' said ICSA Sheep Chair Willie Shaw. Mr Shaw said: 'We are in the middle of a supply collapse. New figures show that throughput is down 16% for the year, yet Irish processors are threatening more cuts. It defies logic, fairness, and any sense of a functioning market - and it's driving the sector over the edge.' According to Department of Agriculture figures, only 36,643 sheep were slaughtered in the last week, a drop of 1,588 on the week previous and almost 11,000 fewer animals slaughtered on the same week in 2024. Comparing figures from this time last year, throughput is down 232,921 head, which is in addition to the drop of 370,000 experienced in 2024. 'In just 18 months, over 600,000 fewer sheep have been processed as farmers cut back or exit the sector entirely because the figures don't stack up. Meanwhile, the processors just carry on regardless, conjuring up excuses to slash prices further. "Farmers in France and Spain are getting up to €1.40/kg more at the moment. Here, we're facing another cut. How can anyone justify that?' Mr Shaw said that the situation has now reached a point where cattle prices are ahead of lamb. 'I honestly can't remember a time when beef prices were higher than lamb. Lamb has always carried a premium due to its seasonality and lighter carcass. The fact that cattle are now pulling ahead says it all - sheep farming is being slowly eroded into oblivion. Concluding, Mr Shaw said: 'Things are reaching a tipping point for the sheep sector. Policy makers and processors alike need to wake up and start valuing the sector and the labour-intensive work sheep farmers do before it is too late.'
Agriland
02-08-2025
- Agriland
Sheep Price Cuts Defy Logic as Supply Collapses Icsa
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) has said any move by processors to cut lamb prices next week will "rightly infuriate sheep farmers". According to ICSA Sheep Committee chair Willie Shaw, supplies of lambs have "collapsed". 'It is one thing getting a bad price when there is an oversupply - but getting a bad price when there's an undersupply is something else entirely,' he said. 'We are in the middle of a supply collapse. New figures show that throughput is down 16% for the year, yet Irish processors are threatening more cuts. "It defies logic, fairness, and any sense of a functioning market - and it's driving the sector over the edge," Shaw added. According to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) 36,643 sheep were slaughtered last week, The ICSA said that this is down 1,588 head on the previous week, and nearly 11,000 fewer than the same week in 2024. Year-to-date throughput is down 232,921 head, which is on top of a drop of over 370,000 head in 2024. 'In just 18 months, over 600,000 fewer sheep have been processed as farmers cut back or exit the sector entirely because the figures don't stack up. "Meanwhile, the processors just carry on regardless, conjuring up excuses to slash prices further. "Farmers in France and Spain are getting up to €1.40/kg more at the minute. Here, we're facing another cut. How can anyone justify that?' Shaw said. The ICSA Sheep chair said that he could not remember a time when beef prices were higher than lamb. "Lamb has always carried a premium due to its seasonality and lighter carcase. "The fact that cattle are now pulling ahead says it all - sheep farming is being slowly eroded into oblivion.' 'Things are reaching a tipping point for the sheep sector. Policy makers and processors alike need to wake up and start valuing the sector and the labour-intensive work sheep farmers do before it is too late," he said.
