A vital month for the sheep sector

GALWAY sheep farmers are hoping that the first drop in lamb prices that started to click in last week won’t continue through the month of August.

IFA sheep representatives are ‘hopeful’ that a strong store trade will continue to sustain the market following cuts in the factory prices last week of between 20c and 30c/kg.

The factories are claiming that the price reduction are being driven by reduced demands on continental European markets, an increased level of UK exports and a depressed skins market.

Galway IFA Sheep Committee Chairman, Michael Murphy, said that while sheep farmers were reasonably happy that lamb prices had held very solidly for most of the Summer, the aim was to keep the base price at €5 per kg [last week they dropped to €4.80/€4.90c/kg].

“Sheep farmers really do need to be getting that €5 per kg. price for their lambs and August will be a very important month for producers here in the West.

“After a very slow Spring – and with many farmers deciding not to meal feed due to the cost factor – there are a lot of lambs due to hit the market over the coming month or six weeks,” said Michael Murphy.

He said that all Summer, the store trade had held ‘very strongly’, with many farmers having surplus grass deciding to buy lambs rather than cattle.

At the marts, lambs fit for the factory were back by about €7 to €10 a head averaging out at around the €95 mark while the heavier ‘butcher lambs’ dropped by around €15 a head, down to just over the €100.

Meanwhile some factories have also contacted suppliers contacting farmers about the presentation of ‘dirty sheep’ for slaughter, warning of a ‘clipping or dagging’ charge where lambs have to be tidied up.

“It hasn’t a bad year market wise so far for sheep farmers but the next month or six weeks will be a vital period as the later lambs now start coming on stream,” said Michael Murphy.