Hogget and spring lamb prices are running up to €1/kg higher than last year’s levels.

Strong demand and tight supplies are driving both factory appetite and mart sales.

Factory prices have this week broken the €6/kg barrier, with top prices rising to €6.10/kg to €6.20/kg. This equates to an extra €20 to €25/hd for the farmer on a 23kg carcase.

Factory prices have also set the level at marts, with prices rising by €8 to €12/hd over the last 10 days and top prices for heavy hoggets ranging from €130 to €140 on average.

Competition between factory agents and butchers is high, with demand rising ahead of St Patrick’s weekend and Easter.

Small numbers of excellent-quality hoggets weighing over 55kg liveweight are fetching as much as €145 to €150/hd.

The strength of the hogget trade is also feeding into the early spring lamb trade.

Opening spring lamb prices are also running €1/kg ahead of 2017 levels, with factories paying in the region of €7/kg. This equates to a price of €126 to €140 for carcases weighing 18kg and 20kg respectively.

IFA sheep chair Sean Dennehy said difficult weather is limiting the number of spring lambs that are available.

“Factories are quoting €7/kg but will have to up this offer to get stock, especially considering the increase in the price of hoggets. Some farmers have negotiated €150/hd for heavier well-finished spring lambs,” he said.

Meanwhile, some factories have also a limited market outlet for milk lambs and are offering €8/kg for light carcases weighing on average from 12kg to 14kg.

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