The hogget trade is harder to summarise into a tighter price range, with quality becoming much more variable.

Mart managers report that, in the most extreme cases, there could be a differential in price of upwards of €30 for hoggets of a similar weight but varying flesh cover.

Large-framed hoggets with weight but poor flesh cover are a trickier trade, with fewer buyers willing to take a chance on purchasing and turning again in a few weeks time.

The best-quality hoggets weighing from 52kg to 55kg are trading from €205 to €215 in the main, but prices as far back as €175 to €180 have also been reported for poorer-quality or tail-end types. There are only small numbers rising to €220 and over.

Likewise, demand for store hoggets has also become more challenging.

Hoggets presented with a good cover of flesh and capable of selling again in the coming weeks ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha (26 to 30 May) are selling from €3.80/kg to €4/kg-plus.

But lighter long-keep lots have slipped in price and are selling anywhere from €3.20/kg to €3.65/kg.

Entries of spring lambs are low. Demand is keenest in marts with a good butcher and wholesale trade, with heavier fleshed lambs weighing 47kg to 50kg selling from €220 to €230 at the top end of the market and back to €210 and lower for poorer-quality types.

Lighter lambs weighing 42kg to 44kg are selling in a wide differential, with the best butcher-type lots selling from €208 to €215, but, again, prices range as far back as €185 to €190 for lesser-quality types with poorer slaughter performance potential.

The trade for cull ewes has been more variable, with tempered demand reported in some sales for heavy ewes over 90kg, with prices ranging from €2.10/kg to highs of €2.40/kg.

Prices paid for lighter ewes range from €2.25/kg to €2.50/kg-plus.

Crossbred ewes are selling from €1.90/kg to €2.20/kg, with Scottish Blackface ewes from €1/kg to €1.50/kg for light carcase ewes, rising to €1.80/kg to €2/kg for heavy carcase ewes.