The sheep trade continues on an upward trend, with factory agents very active today (Monday) both in mart sales and in sourcing lambs direct from farms.

Heavy hoggets weighing 54kg to 60kg reached top prices of €118 in today’s sales in Athenry and Raphoe, with heavy hoggets reaching €120 on a number of occasions in Kilkenny Mart and a top price of €121/head.

Raphoe Mart

Manager of Raphoe Mart Ann Harkin reported demand outstripping supply in today’s sale. Slaughter-fit hoggets weighing 50kg to 54kg sold from €110 to €118.50, with wholesale and butcher buyers competing with factory agents.

Lighter hoggets weighing 42kg to 48kg sold from €95 to €109, with added bite in recent weeks for short-keep stores. Light hoggets weighing 35kg to 40kg sold from €75 for crossbred and poorer-quality lots to €95/head for hoggets with a good cover of flesh.

Ann says there was a good entry of ewes with quality lambs at foot.

Ewes with one lamb at foot sold from €150 to €190, while ewes with twin lambs started at €210/head and increased to €262 for good-quality large-framed ewes with strong lambs at foot. Cull ewes sold from €70 to €126.

Brisk trade in Kilkenny

Auctioneer George Candler reported much more life in today’s sale. Heavy hoggets weighing upwards of 54kg ranged from €115 to €120/head, while good-quality hoggets weighing back to 50kg sold in general from €110 upwards.

Good-quality lambs weighing 44kg upwards exceeded the €110 mark, with factory agents willing to drop down on weight for slaughter-fit sheep.

There was also added competition in the cull ewe trade. Average-quality lots sold from €50 to €70 for ewes with a poor cover of flesh rising to €100 to €120 for good-quality lowland ewes and a top of €135 for excellent-quality large-framed ewes.

Steady trade in Mountbellew

Chair Eamon Moran reported good demand from farmers for ewes with lambs at foot in Mountbellew Mart on Saturday. This was despite recent wet weather and heavy rainfall possibly dampening the trade, with some farmers starting to buy to meet Areas of Natural Constraint stocking rates. Aged ewes with light lambs sold from €140 to €180, with stronger twin lamb outfits and younger ewes exceeding €200 and rising to €240/head.

Factory prices rising

The factory trade is also moving upwards, with prices reaching €5/kg for producers handling smaller numbers. There is a wider differential to sellers with greater negotiating power, with prices of €5.10/kg to €5.20/kg reported at the higher end of the market.

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