Monaghan IFA  Sheep Chairman Eamon Markey said the sheep trade continues to
strengthen with hogget prices making €5.70/kg and wholesalers paying
€5.80/kg plus.

Eamon Markey said supplies have become very tight and are not available to
the factories at the lower quoted prices.

On spring lambs, Eamon Markey said numbers are also very tight and prices
are ranging from €6.20/kg to €6.80/kg at the factories, wholesalers and
marts.

The IFA sheep farmers’ leader said spring lamb suppliers should be very
careful to avoid the “free meat trap” on spring lamb with the factories.  He
said some factories are trying to impose carcase weight limits on spring
lamb of 19kgs or 20kgs, while at the same time they are paying full prices
up to 24kgs carcase weight for hoggets.  He said this is only a blunt
instrument to try and get cheap lamb and must be strongly rejected.