The lead-up to the Easter weekend helped drive on prices for both hoggets and spring lambs. Spring lambs have been in short supply up to now. Only specialised producers seemed to make the extra effort to have lambs ready for the early Easter.

Reasonably strong prices have helped make their effort worthwhile, given the weather conditions and costs involved in getting lambs saleable.

Lambs weighing 40kg to 45kg are selling from €120/head to €135/head, or €80 to €90 over the weight. Where butcher competition was strong in sales leading up to Easter, you could add another €10 to €20 per head to those averages. Scarcity in spring lambs is having a knock-on positive effect on the hogget trade. Prices have steadied since last week’s highs.

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Hoggets weighing 43kg to 46kg are selling for €110/head to €125/head. It’s generally only very fleshed or heavier lots making over €130/head now.

Top prices for hoggets weighing 50kg-plus are €135/head to €140/head. Lighter hoggets weighing 35kg to 40kg are moving at €85 to €95/head, but lower prices are being paid where quality is mixed.

There are good numbers of ewes with lambs at foot in sales. Ewes with one lamb at foot are selling from €120 to €200 per unit. Ewes with two lambs are selling from €180 to €290 per unit.

Fleshed cull ewes are moving at €110 to €125/head. with top prices in excess of €130/head. Lighter ewes are selling from €60 to €90/head.