It’s proving to a mixed bag for this year’s sheep sector as Farming Online’s ‘Lambing Survey’ is churning in results currently totalling over 10,000 head of sheep.

Currently, the survey shows producers are averaging 175%, up ten percent on last year which, considering the challenging conditions is surprising.

With heavy incidences of fluke in the autumn from wet and contaminated pastures, ewe condition has been fairly variable across the country with plenty of lean ewes. However, while many feed bills have escalated, lamb numbers are holding firm.

One Northumberland producer said; “Lambing for me has been disappointing mainly as ewes have been in poor condition and we’ve had a few lamb losses, especially with the snow early on. However my neighbour has done pretty well although his feed bill has drastically increased and he’s spending nearly two thousand pounds per week.”

In the markets though, spring lamb trade continued well with the combined SQQ in week ended 8 May at its highest point since April 2012 according to the latest EBLEX figures. New season prices continued to rise despite increased numbers now coming forward. Throughputs were a third higher week on week and despite higher quantities starting to come through, marketing’s are still well behind normal levels due to the disruptions earlier in the year. Spring lamb wasn’t only at good prices, old season lamb prices have continued to strengthen too as numbers tightened by nearly 10% on the week. Disruption over the bank holiday as well as lower quantities of spring lambs are the likely cause of these buoyant OSL prices, with quantities 20% higher than the previous year.

“Last year’s prices were falling rapidly at this point last year,” our producer said. “This year it is a completely different ball game so I just hope prices don’t start to decline,” he added.

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