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Price trends for fat lambs and hoggets remain positive, although the trade appears to have steadied this week.
Factory quotes are on 830p/kg with deals generally capped between 850p and 860p/kg. In the marts, prices of £178 to £183 are common for good quality slaughter fit animals.
Buyers exporting lambs to Britain remain extremely competitive and are particularly keen for heavy fleshed animals, especially ram lambs, with highs of £188 to £200 recorded this week.
Hoggets
Supplies of slaughter fit hoggets have tightened significantly.
Quotes remain on 730p/kg and negotiating beyond this is proving difficult without big numbers of meal finished hoggets.
Where farmers have managed to secure higher returns, deals are being pinned around 740p to 750/kg.
Several agents indicate quotes for hoggets will finish within the next two weeks, given the limited numbers coming to market.
In the marts, buyers are becoming much more selective, preferring good quality ewe hoggets and animals weighing close on 30kg half-weight.
Beef
Factory quotes are also unchanged for prime cattle with 468p/kg available for U-3 grading animals, although deals are generally 20p/kg above this level for in-spec steers and heifers.
Young bulls are making 478p to 482p/kg with cull cows making 370p to 390p/kg depending on quality.
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