Campbell Tweed, a sheep farmer in Co. Antrim, believes that Irish lamb prices will remain strong over the coming months.
He bases this assessment on the understanding that 1.6 million less sheep tags were purchased in England last year, relative to 2023.
The EasyCare flock owner further explained: “This is the cumulative effect of Schmallenberg, Bluetongue and the bad weather.
“In addition, we have seen the resumption of the live trade in finished lambs from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.
“This has helped to minimise the gap in lamb prices that traditionally exists between Ireland and Britain. Again, there is every prospect of this live trade being maintained over the coming months,” he added.
Meanwhile, demand for self-shedding EasyCare blood lines continues to grow.
Tweed said: “A total of 800 breeding females were sold off the farm last year.
“For the most part, these went to customers in Northern Ireland. However, in previous years significant numbers of breeding females were sold to flocks in the Republic of Ireland.
The Co. Antrim farmer is a member of Northern Ireland’s Sheep Taskforce and is calling for a suitable sheep support package to be agreed by Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir.
“The sheep and lamb sector makes a significant contribution to the overall economy,” he said.
And this fundamental reality must be reflected in the levels of support made available to flock owners into the future.
“Sheep must be given equal parity to the other grass-based, livestock industries. And this is not the case at the present time,” Tweed added.
According to the EasyCare breeder, the sheep sector must be driven forward by independent research, backed up by an advisory service of a similar stature.
Significantly, Tweed believes the availability of a sheep welfare scheme in Northern Ireland, similar to that already available south of the border, has significant merit.
Meanwhile, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) says the need for sheep and lamb support continues to mount following the publication of the agricultural census for 2024, which shows a 4% drop in ewes since 2023.
At the end of 2024, Northern Ireland’s Sheep Taskforce members engaged in a series of meetings with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) policy team, Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) committee, and Minister Muir about the need for support.
