Live lamb trade firms on drop in numbers
© Tim Scrivener An 11% drop in finished lamb throughputs saw the liveweight SQQ average lift by 4.8p/kg to just over 238p/kg in the week ended 20 September. Standard weights increased the most – up 6.3p/kg to an average of 231.86p/kg.
The continued strong demand for heavy lambs was shown by both medium and heavies rising more than 4p/kg but with their averages very close, at 241.40p/kg and 241.45p/kg, respectively.
Across 102 markets in Great Britain reporting in the week ended 20 September, just over 92,000 lambs were sold, a fall of almost 10% on the numbers through markets in the previous week.
See also: One weeks supply of pigs missing by Christmas
The latest deadweight report, for the week ended 17 September, showed an average of 523.60p/kg across almost 52,000 SQQ lambs. This was a drop of just over 4p/kg on a 5% higher throughput.
Marketing co-op Farmstock said demand for ewes was stronger than supply.
Almost 43,000 cull ewes sold through GB markets in the week ended 20 September averaged £76.63 a head, with numbers and prices similar to year-ago levels.
Harrison and Hetherington reported a mixed show of cast sheep at Newston St Boswells, with well-fleshed, larger ewes in particular demand. Nevertheless, lighter and leaner ewes sold to a fast trade, as in recent weeks.