Lamb prices €5 to €8/head above 2025 returns

The lamb trade remains static for another week with base quotes unchanged at €7.90/kg and significant numbers trading from €8.15/kg to €8.25/kg.

Prices at the top end of the market are hitting €8.30/kg for sellers handling big numbers.

Returns are running about 30c/kg to 40c/kg above the corresponding period in 2025 or about €5 to €8 per higher.

Throughput for 2026 is running over 20,000 head higher than in 2025 but this is being underpinned by a change in the recording process for ewes and rams (up 84,000 head year to date).

Quotes in Northern Ireland are running 45p/kg to 50p/kg higher on 2025 with base quotes unchanged at £6.85/kg to £6.90/kg (€8.19/kg to €8.25/kg).