Base quotes for lambs and hoggets have been cut by another 20c/kg to 30c/kg over the weekend.

This leaves opening prices for hoggets trading on Tuesday on a base of €8.50/kg to €8.60/kg and ranging from €8.60/kg to €8.70/kg for quality-assured (QA) sheep.

Regular sellers and groups are securing returns of €8.80/kg to €8.90/kg by means of producer or conformation bonuses with reports indicating producers are facing growing resistance in exceeding this price range.

Reports also indicate that some plants have become sticky on carcase weights and are refusing to go beyond 23kg.

There is a wider differential in base quotes for lambs which range from €9/kg to €9.20/kg. This leaves QA lamb prices ranging in the main from €9.30/kg to €9.40/kg.

Carcase weight limits range from 20.5kg to 21kg, so the advice for producers is to ensure they are achieving the best deal in negotiations on both price and carcase weight.

Ewe trade

The trade for hoggets and lambs is in contrast to ewe with base quotes holding firm at €5.50/kg. Producers with significant numbers of good-quality ewes are securing €5.70/kg with relative ease while at the top end of the market plants/abattoirs specialising in the ewe trade are securing returns ranging from €5.80/kg to €6/kg.

Live prices for heavy carcase ewes continue to run ahead of factory quotes and producers should confirm the price and paid carcase weight limit before trading.