Store prices are holding steady. One mart manager in the east said there continues to be plenty of competition for store hoggets and this is keeping a floor on prices.

Lowland-bred hoggets weighing 36kg to 39kg are selling for €82/head to €87/head, or €46 to €48 over the weight.

Scotch-bred store hoggets are making from €1.70/kg to €1.80/kg, while crossbred lots are making €1.98/kg to €2.05/kg, 5c to 10c below 2016.

Mart managers believe ewe hoggets are also seeing a slight boost in demand due to the Sheep Welfare Scheme. They claim some farmers are buying ewe hoggets in order to have replacements in toe during the year to maintain ewe numbers to meet the requirements of the scheme.

Factory-fit hoggets weighing 46kg to 49kg are selling from €93 to €104/head. Heavier hoggets weighing 50kg-plus are selling from €100 to €105/head. Mart managers expect a lift in the trade with the slight improvement in factory prices.

Young ewes with two lambs at foot are making €235/unit, while ewes with single lambs are selling from €140/unit to €200/unit depending on the strength of the lambs and the age of the ewes. In-lamb ewes are making up to €210/head for young ewes carrying doubles, while ewes scanned carrying a lamb and a half are selling for €140 to €160/head.

Cull ewe prices are holding strong, with a top call of €125/head for heavy fleshed ewes. Feeding lowland bred ewes are making €60 to €85/head, crossbred cull ewes from €55 to €70/head for good-quality lots and Scotch-bred ewes from €35 to €45/head.