Ample supplies for Christmas festivities appear to have hit both dead and liveweight sales of prime lamb with both markets slipping on the week – but, hopefully, on a temporary basis.

With most deadweight centres dropping their prices as much as 10p per kg on Monday, many of the auction markets followed suit, albeit to a much lesser extent.

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On Monday, the overall average for lambs sold through Scottish livestock markets cashed in at 274.7p per kg, down 6.1p per kg on the week, with the SQQ at 276.2p, a fall of 6.6p.

This compares to those south of the Border which fell a similar amount to 273.9p, down 6.2p, with the SQQ levelling at 276.2p, a decline of 4.7p.

Prices fell even more on Tuesday with the Scottish average balancing out at just shy of 263p, down 13.5p, while the SQQ plummeted 16p to the same value. Lambs cashed in England and Wales the same day, fared slightly better at 268.3p with an SQQ of 269.4p, a drop of 11.8p and 11.4p, respectively.

However, with a late Easter and a predicted shortage, prices are expected to return to their buoyant levels, which in recent weeks have reached record levels for the time of year at virtually all centres.

"The trade has been unbelievable for ewes and lambs this year," said Archie Hamilton, head sheep auctioneer at Lawrie and Symington.

"Lambs have been 50-60p per live kg ahead of what they were this time last year and ewes are selling for £20-£30 more. Most of the deadweight centres dropped their prices 10p per kg this week when the home market has sufficient supplies to concentrate more on exports, but I do think trade will pick up after Christmas," he said.

Mr Hamilton added that many of the export markets rely on lighter carcases at this time of year, which in turn had not dropped as much as standard and heavier weight lambs.

Admittedly, lightweight sheep fell just as much in Scotland at the early markets of this week, but south of the Border, such lambs actually increased by as much as 7.4p per kg on Monday to 244.8p and on Tuesday, slipped just a penny to 244.9p.

The ewe trade also dipped slightly this week, but with prices regularly exceeding £200 and even £250 per head for Texel and Beltex crosses, demand has soared to new heights.

"Demand for sheep meat from the ethnic minority has been phenomenal for ewes all year so there has been a real scarcity," said Mr Hamilton, adding that their Christmas show and sale at Lanark, hit a new high of £268 for a Texel ewe from Steven Renwick, Glenrath.

This price was however superceded at Bentham Auction Mart's Christmas show and sale when the champions, a pen of five Texel ewes from Procters Farm, sold for £310 per head to Yorkshire Halal Meat Suppliers, with another pen of five Beltex from Wannops Farms, making £300 per head.

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Jimmy Stark, a farmer and meat buyer for Paisley Meat Wholesalers, also backed up the increased demand for Halal meat.

Mr Stark, who buys 1200-1500 lambs per week of which 99% are through the live ring, said increased available incomes of ethnic populations are not only enabling them to buy more sheep meat, but also better quality lamb.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, New Zealand has reported a 1% increase in the size of its lamb crop to 22.7m head, according to Beef and Lamb NZ.

Over the year, some 18.48m lambs are expected to be slaughtered, up 1%. Such figures are however, unlikely to affect the UK market due to New Zealand’s exporters having turned their attention to the large and valuable Chinese market, which is expected to continue according to AHDB.