Green fever pushes store lambs up £10 on the year

Abundant grass and bumper forage crops across much of the country, coupled with a 20p/kg stronger prime lamb price, has fired store lamb demand this September.  

National store lamb averages for England and Wales lifted £1.68 in the middle of the month to hit £79.91 a head, which is £10 dearer than a year ago, AHDB figures reveal.

Prime lamb prices are 20p/kg higher on the year in the marts, with liveweight SQQs at about 250p/kg, making a well-finished 45kg lamb £9 dearer on the year.

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Challenges

The wet second half of the summer has made it hard for many farms to finish lambs, meaning marts are reporting premiums for 45kg animals.

Problematic worm burdens and wet grass have lowered dry matter intakes for some, making lambs loose and lowering weight gains.  

Greg Christopher, sheep auctioneer at Hereford Market Auctioneers, said wintering farmers had already come to the market, although vendors were in no hurry to sell.

“It’s a very different picture to this time last year in this area,” said Mr Christopher, adding that Wales and Herefordshire were “burned to a crisp” in 2022 and farmers were being forced to sell lambs early.

“On the whole, I’m expecting fewer lambs in this region and quieter store lamb sales owing to scanning being sharply down last year, some 50-60% lower.”

He said strong short-keep types were £98-£108 a head, “farming lambs” for Christmas and new year finishing had made £88-£95 a head, and better medium-keep lambs had made £80.

‘Few pounds dearer’

However, George Purves of United Auctions said trading conditions in Scotland had generally not changed as much on the year, but more keep elsewhere in Britain meant lambs were a “few pounds dearer”.

“We’ve been selling to a full ringside of buyers,” said Mr Purves. “Buyers seem to have plenty of grass and crops to graze this year, which is very different to last year. It’s been a straightforward backend to date.”

He said 7,000 store lambs had gone under the hammer this week (Monday 25 September) and 12,800 the week before.

“We expect up to 12,000-13,000 next week again. We are finding as many lambs as in recent years.”