Major Lift in Lamb Prices
IFA National Sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy said the lamb market is very strong this week with factories offering as high as €5.60/kg to get very tight supplies.
He said €5.50/kg is common and finishers with available clean numbers are commending €5.60/kg. “It is clear supplies are very tight, demand is very strong and the factories have to get the numbers to meet customer requirements.”
Clean Sheep Policy issues
Sean Dennehy said IFA has met Minister Creed and lobbied senior vetinerary personnel in the Department of Agriculture again regarding the overzealous approach on implementation of the Clean Sheep policy.
He said “It’s very clear the attitude of some Department personnel on the Clean Sheep policy is way over the top. There is a complete lack of consistency. Veterinary personnel at factory level are blaming vets at the top.”
The IFA sheep farmer leader accused the Department of breaching their own protocol on the Clean Sheep Policy. “Nowhere in the CPL is their reference to sending home consignments of lambs or using arbitrary figures of 10% Category C to refuse loads of lambs. In addition, it was never intended that farmers would have to fully shear some sheep. This is being made up by the Department, without consultation and completely impractical and over the top.”
Sean Dennehy said in the week ending Feb 10th., the Department sent home up to 3,600 lambs that were deemed as category C. Last week, the Department rejected another 3,500 lambs, ordering that they be sent back.
