Sheep trade stalls as finished lambs lack condition
© Tim Scrivener Both liveweight and deadweight lamb prices fell in the past week as more lighter lambs came forward.
Liveweight lamb prices dropped by 2.57p/kg to total 236.61p/kg for the week ending 30 August.
Prices are now 1.23p/kg below the same week last year.
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Total throughput at UK auction markets was down by 9% on the previous week to total 98,508 head.
Low levels of grass growth continue to hinder the confirmation of lambs coming forward.
Beef and sheep farms averaged 35.8kg/ha of dry matter (DM) daily for the week beginning 29 August, according to GrasscheckGB estimates.
Cull ewes averaged £76.27 a head – an increase of 0.86p a head on the previous week.
Mixed trade at market
A large entry of lambs was sold at Melton Mowbray Market on Tuesday (30 August), with trade averaging 230.47p/kg for prime lambs.
Auctioneer Scott Ruck said trade at Melton was strongest for heavier, well-fleshed lambs, which are in short supply and well sought after.
Large numbers of lighter lambs are coming forward following the dry weather, with some of the lambs being sold on to go for further feeding, according to Mr Ruck.
“There are lots of light lambs at 38-39kg being sold. Where they are finished well, they are still seeing a premium, but where they are not, they are not achieving as much and are often being pulled too soon.
“There is a 30-50p/kg premium for well-finished lambs at the moment, and there is certainly a distinct lack of finish on lambs at a lot of markets,” he said.
Deadweight prices down
Deadweight prices for week ending 27 August totalled 536.3p/kg, down by 6.6p/kg on the previous week.
Prices have fallen by 156.7p/kg since peaking in mid-June, but despite this fall, deadweight lamb prices still remain 5.7p/kg above the same week last year.
Gordon McWhirter, livestock marketing specialist at Meadow Quality, said that while some prices have eased back recently, generally they should hold in the short term and that the Love Lamb Week marketing campaign should help to support trade.
Love Lamb Week
The Love Lamb Week campaign runs from 1-7 September and aims to promote the sector and encourage sales of lamb when UK lamb throughput is highest.
The campaign is now in its eighth year and is supported by industry bodies and levy boards such as the AHDB and the National Sheep Association (NSA).
NSA communications manager Katie James said it is an opportunity to champion the hard work of sheep farmers while promoting the delicious product they produce, as well as the care and devotion they show in maintaining the UK’s unique and beautiful landscape.
“The NSA is encouraging sheep farmers from every corner of the UK to increase their use of social media platforms this coming week to share their daily work and the product they are unwaveringly proud to produce.
“These are messages consumers want to see and read about and ones that can help push them to add more lamb and mutton to their shopping baskets and trollies,” said Ms James.
Ulster Farmers’ Union beef and lamb chairman Pat McKay said: “Sheep farmers have been enduring soaring production costs since early spring and it has put great financial pressure on their farm business.
“Therefore, this Love Lamb Week, we are urging consumers and everyone within the farming community to show their support for Northern Ireland’s sustainable sheep production, which supports the environment and allows us to make use of land that cannot grow crops, resulting in nutritious lamb products.”