Lamb prices – both old and new season – are on the slide with the mild spring and copious amounts of grass boosting daily liveweight gains and supplies.

Add to that the conclusion of Ramadan on May 23, and the final week of May saw prime sheep values slip, with the early markets of this week no better, both north and south of the Border.

On Monday, the average for new season lambs sold through Scottish markets was 241.6p per live kg, a drop of almost 13p on the week, for 1780 head, which represented an 83% rise in numbers.

Meanwhile, old season lambs cashed in at 182.6p, up 1.4p for 902 and 13% fewer.

Average prices fell further on Tuesday too, with 603 head falling a penny to balance out at 240.8p, for a 155.5% increase in numbers.

Hoggs dropped 9.1p on the week to average 160.4p for 32.4% fewer.

New season lamb values are even lower in England and Wales, with the live auction sales on Tuesday averaging 239p for 18,888 head, down 3.2p on the week with a 15.3% increase in numbers while 4102 hoggs fell 13p to 177.1p, for 28% fewer.

Sales on Monday weren’t any better with spring lambs averaging 237.2p for 22,415 head, down 7.4p on the week and for 34.5% more.

Old season entries sold the same day south of the Border slipped 15.6p per kg to average 183.6p for a 16.5% drop in numbers.

In saying that, values remain higher than this time last year by some 6% for new season and 8% for old.

Exports are also firm with the trade to France showing no sign to date of downwards pressure since the end of Ramadan.

A weakening of sterling is also likely to have helped support export competitiveness, with a euro now buying around 89-90p, compared to 87-88p from early April to mid-May.