Spring lamb prices

Green farmer

White Clover wrote: »

The butcher that kills a few for me was telling me that a properly finished lowland lamb would be a 25 to 30kg carcass, so there could be a good bit more meat in the heavier lamb for tge same butchering cost.

A big Suffolk left to go 60-70kg from a rural butcher maybe, but I’ve seen and killed plenty of hill type lambs at 14kg upwards to factories and ethnic buyers. All depends on the breed really. Know a butcher that loves them at 25kg but hates them at 30kg as they become very hard to shift to customers as too expensive.

White Clover

Green farmer wrote: »

A big Suffolk left to go 60-70kg from a rural butcher maybe, but I’ve seen and killed plenty of hill type lambs at 14kg upwards to factories and ethnic buyers. All depends on the breed really. Know a butcher that loves them at 25kg but hates them at 30kg as they become very hard to shift to customers as too expensive.

Agreed,the ones in talking about are destined for rural freezers. I have killed them at 33kg DW. Charge and paid for every kilo.

Green farmer

White Clover wrote: »

Agreed,the ones in talking about are destined for rural freezers. I have killed them at 33kg DW. Charge and paid for every kilo.

Makes you wonder about the factory and their 21kg cutoff. Butcher tells me whenever he buys them off factory, they charge him for every kilo.

Dinzee Conlee

Green farmer wrote: »

Makes you wonder about the factory and their 21kg cutoff. Butcher tells me whenever he buys them off factory, they charge him for every kilo.

From what i’ve heard - the factories want uniform kinda size carcass / chops / cuts, to fit into plastic trays... that makes sense...

But I don’t understand why the weight isn’t 23 all year round? Why 21kg early in the year?

Also, I think no matter what the weight limit is, there will always be some it doesn’t suit...

Green farmer

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

From what i’ve heard - the factories want uniform kinda size carcass / chops / cuts, to fit into plastic trays... that makes sense...

But I don’t understand why the weight isn’t 23 all year round? Why 21kg early in the year?

Also, I think no matter what the weight limit is, there will always be some it doesn’t suit...

You’ve a good point on 23kg. No excuse for it being anything else.

_blaaz

Green farmer wrote: »

You’ve a good point on 23kg. No excuse for it being anything else.

I struggle to believe they dump.the excess

Green farmer

_blaaz wrote: »

I struggle to believe they dump.the excess

Goes into the same dark hole as the other 54% of our lambs we don’t get paid for.

Dinzee Conlee

_blaaz wrote: »

I struggle to believe they dump.the excess

I wouldn’t think for a second they dump it, but it’s outside their specification...

I’m ok with them having a specification it’s up to us as farmers to meet that specification.

The thing I don’t understand is why it changes depending on time of year... why do they want smaller lambs earlier, and heavier lambs later?

_blaaz

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

I wouldn’t think for a second they dump it, but it’s outside their specification...

I’m ok with them having a specification it’s up to us as farmers to meet that specification.

The thing I don’t understand is why it changes depending on time of year... why do they want smaller lambs earlier, and heavier lambs later?

I imagine its to prevent overfat lambs presenting for slaughter

But imo if they upped the price lads would shift lambs sooner

memorystick

Any predictions for the store trade in September?

kk.man

memorystick wrote: »

Any predictions for the store trade in September?

Alot will depend on the factory price at the moment in time. Store buyers got stung last year believing there would be a good lift in the spring. The lift was not bug enough for lads to make a decent margin. This might damping things.

ganmo

kk.man wrote: »

Alot will depend on the factory price at the moment in time. Store buyers got stung last year believing there would be a good lift in the spring. The lift was not bug enough for lads to make a decent margin. This might damping things.

It'll depend on the beef price
And dont forget that Brexit is still a problem to be dealt with, October 31st this time

Sami23

Any lamb prices for this week - heard they could be down to 5.15 or 5.20 ?

wrangler

ganmo wrote: »

It'll depend on the beef price
And dont forget that Brexit is still a problem to be dealt with, October 31st this time

The advice at the Highland show was not to depend on more than £3/kg in the autumn over there,

Lambman

Not looking good lads. Has me seriously thinking off offloading all lambs around and over 40kg in Mart at weekend. Problem is I've loads off grass... An idea might be use the money till buy fat ewes at the same Mart men should be weaning now and getting rid off old/problem ewes they seem till be a far more steady market? Or am I off my head?

Dinzee Conlee

Lambman wrote: »

Not looking good lads. Has me seriously thinking off offloading all lambs around and over 40kg in Mart at weekend. Problem is I've loads off grass... An idea might be use the money till buy fat ewes at the same Mart men should be weaning now and getting rid off old/problem ewes they seem till be a far more steady market? Or am I off my head?

You are in a sheep forum, asking what to do about sheep...

In one way, this makes perfect sense...

In another way, its like asking other inmates in the asylum for advice

Green farmer

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

You are in a sheep forum, asking what to do about sheep...

In one way, this makes perfect sense...

In another way, its like asking other inmates in the asylum for advice

Maybe we’re all in the asylum but none of us realize it.
Option A
Sensible answer, sell all the ewes as well as the lambs and rent the land out to a dairy farmer. Then get a cushy job off farm for around 30k pa. That plus rent == nice earner

Option B
Sheep farmer answer, buy more sheep. Cheap == good value

Sadly, I tend to take option B.

Siamsa Sessions

Green farmer wrote: »

Maybe we’re all in the asylum but none of us realize it.
Option A
Sensible answer, sell all the ewes as well as the lambs and rent the land out to a dairy farmer. Then get a cushy job off farm for around 30k pa. That plus rent == nice earner

Option B
Sheep farmer answer, buy more sheep. Cheap == good value

Sadly, I tend to take option B.

Have two dairy farmers beside us who'd happily pay 200/acre but sure why would I do that when I can just about break even looking after ewes and lambs 12 months of the year???

And to answer the original question, quotes this week are 5.30-5.40 according to IFA text. Ewes are 2.80-3.00.

In fairness, ewes are a much steadier trade than lambs at the moment.

Oh god, must fight the urge to buy...

If tis any consolation, my current shopping list is for 15-20 breeding hoggets so I plan on drawing torture on myself for the long-haul

Green farmer

We’re our own worst enemy lads. I think we must be eternal optimists, saying next year will be different or waiting for the one good month every few years when prices peak, that make us forget all the crap days. I plan to cut back numbers here. Might even go down the easycare route and stock low density. Cut out all excess farm inputs. The factory doesn’t deserve me going the extra mile and giving quality when they’ve no intention in paying for it.

Dinzee Conlee

Green farmer wrote: »

Maybe we’re all in the asylum but none of us realize it.
Option A
Sensible answer, sell all the ewes as well as the lambs and rent the land out to a dairy farmer. Then get a cushy job off farm for around 30k pa. That plus rent == nice earner

Option B
Sheep farmer answer, buy more sheep. Cheap == good value

Sadly, I tend to take option B.

I was always only part-time. But I took Option A a few years ago in that I rented out the majority of the place. Kept a few acres around the house. The most awkward, ****ty, quare acres acourse... just so I'd still have the most hardship from the smallest few acres... :P

Lambman

Ay lads I think we're all in the wrong game at this craic... Hard till know what till do I don't want till spend a heap a money on fertilizer till bag fields in the hope off getting weather till bale silage in 7-8 weeks time and hope till sell it. Lambs from now on are the only things that are eating grass and putting on weight and still losing money. I think I'd be better off with the fat ewes giving how unpredictable lamb prices have been this year.

wrangler

Lambman wrote: »

Ay lads I think we're all in the wrong game at this craic... Hard till know what till do I don't want till spend a heap a money on fertilizer till bag fields in the hope off getting weather till bale silage in 7-8 weeks time and hope till sell it. Lambs from now on are the only things that are eating grass and putting on weight and still losing money. I think I'd be better off with the fat ewes giving how unpredictable lamb prices have been this year.

If you have a flock at home you won't be doing them any favours by buying in diseases from around the country, if your lambs are 40kg plus you'd be better off finishing them

Dinzee Conlee

wrangler wrote: »

If you have a flock at home you won't be doing them any favours by buying in diseases from around the country, if your lambs are 40kg plus you'd be better off finishing them

What about pulling out the nice ewe lambs - even if they were only 40kg or so, would you get a bit of a premium for them?
Keep the rest and bring to factory weight...

Or is it a bit too early yet for lads buying ewe lambs?

memorystick

With such a poor return this year and the last few, don't be surprised if they're shocking dear next year.

Lambman

Looking at prices with weights at local Mart there on Facebook 41-44kg last week €110-115 this week €90-105 make your heart sink. I wouldn't be mixing any bought in sheep with my own wrangler.

wrangler

Lambman wrote: »

Looking at prices with weights at local Mart there on Facebook 41-44kg last week €110-115 this week €90-105 make your heart sink. I wouldn't be mixing any bought in sheep with my own wrangler.

Some one on twitter was expecting Kepak to quote €5 today but someone tells me they're not quoting at all, wonder what they're giving, The heat is gone off the market now, beef is cheap, Ramadam is over, never saw the outlooks so bad.
I couldn't see anyone giving enough for 35 - 40 kg store lambs either unless they know something we don't

Sami23

wrangler wrote: »

Some one on twitter was expecting Kepak to quote €5 today but someone tells me they're not quoting at all, wonder what they're giving, The heat is gone off the market now, beef is cheap, Ramadam is over, never saw the outlooks so bad.
I couldn't see anyone giving enough for 35 - 40 kg store lambs either unless they know something we don't

Athleague and Ballyhaunis both quoting a base of €5 and QA of €5.15 today

Terrible S%*#te

Dinzee Conlee

Sami23 wrote: »

Athleague and Ballyhaunis both quoting a base of €5 and QA of €5.15 today

Terrible S%*#te

Does anyone have the Bord Bia link which shows lamb price on an annual basis, so we can see what it was this time last year, etc

I had a quick look, but I couldn't find it...

Lambman

Waste a time lads even @ €5 wouldn't make sense till hold onto anything when u could a got the same price for them 2 weeks ago instead a having till wait till there ready now till see the same money. If the price is dropped this far already it's gonna be a real disaster when the bulk off the mid season lambs starting till come from now on.

wrangler

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Does anyone have the Bord Bia link which shows lamb price on an annual basis, so we can see what it was this time last year, etc

I had a quick look, but I couldn't find it...

ICM Quoting 5.20 today and quoted 5.60 this week last year, Kildare were 5.70

Our group would've been getting over 5.90 this week last year....some difference