Factory agents in Ireland opened the week of 26 October on a cautious footing, with processing schedules reduced by a day and no overall pressure for plants to raise offers for lambs. Base quotes at the main processing plants were unchanged, ranging from €7.90/kg to €7.95/kg, with an additional 15c/kg to 20c/kg quality assurance payment commonly applied.
Opening offers and seller outcomes
Those base quotes and the QA supplement left typical opening offers in the region of €8.10/kg, but a high proportion of sellers — including many producer groups — were reported to be securing around €8.20/kg. Prices at the top end of the market were generally 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher, although very few lambs traded above that range.
| Market / category | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Main processing plants (Republic of Ireland) | €7.90/kg–€7.95/kg base + 15c–20c/kg QA | Opening offers ~€8.10/kg; many sellers obtaining €8.20/kg (week to 26 October) |
| Top-end processing | €8.15/kg–€8.25/kg typical trading range | Selective lots 5c–10c/kg above common range |
Northern ireland and mart performance
Factories in Northern Ireland maintained base quotes too. Main plants continued to offer an opening base price of £6.85/kg to £6.90/kg, which the report notes is equivalent to €8.19/kg to €8.25/kg given a sterling-to-euro rate of 83.6p to the euro. Regular sellers with sizeable batches were recorded as negotiating upwards of £7/kg.
The mart trade remained steady but highlighted a clear differential between lots traded to factories and those sold into established butcher and wholesale buyer chains. Fleshier lambs weighing 49kg to 53kg were trading at livestock marts from €177 to €187 per head, depending on quality and slaughter performance. In contrast, top-quality lambs sold with a firm butcher or wholesale buyer were topping €190 and selling into the mid-€190s. Heavier lambs, above 55kg, were rising to and topping €200 per head.
- Factory base quotes unchanged at main plants: €7.90–€7.95/kg plus 15c–20c/kg QA (week to 26 October)
- Many sellers securing about €8.20/kg; selective lots achieving 5c–10c/kg premium
- Mart premiums for butcher-backed and heavier lambs: up to and above €190/head, heavier to and topping €200/head
The price ranges and buyer behaviour in this update underline the continuing importance of carcass quality, weight profile and established buyer relationships when negotiating returns for finished lambs. The figures above are reported for the week to 26 October by Farmers Journal.
