It has been another challenging week for the mart trade, with continued pressure on factory prices.

Fleshed hoggets weighing upwards of 50kg continue to trade within a tight price range of €138 to €143.

There are isolated deals rising to €145 to €150, but these are much more rare this week and typically confined to butchers locking horns for top-quality, well-conformed lambs or for ewe lambs exhibiting strong breeding potential.

On the latter point, demand from farmer buyers for good-quality ewe lambs is tempered at present by a lack of confidence.

Lighter but well-fleshed hoggets weighing 47kg to 49kg and capable of achieving a good kill-out are not far behind, selling from €134 to €138, but there is a wide differential to poorer-quality hoggets or lots lacking flesh, with prices ranging back to €120/head.

Store hoggets

Store hoggets weighing 37kg to 40kg are trading from €90 to €105 to €108 on average, with flesh cover having remained vital in attracting competition.

Hill lambs are selling from €1.90/kg to €2.15/kg for poorer-quality lots, rising to €2.30/kg to €2.40/kg for better-quality and crossbred types.

Reports on the trade for in-lamb ewes remains sluggish, with the exception of special sales and entries.

Prices of €170/head to €200/head have been reported for large-framed and younger ewes carrying an average of 1.7 to two lambs, with aged ewes or ewes not lambing for another couple of months selling back to €150 and lower for smaller-framed aged ewes or ewes which are presented lacking flesh cover.

Cull ewes

Cull ewes continue to appear in small lot numbers following scanning, with farmers moving any empty ewes quickly.

Prices range from €1/kg to €15 over for Scottish Blackface ewes or ewes lacking flesh.

Fleshed ewes weighing 75kg to 80kg are trading from €100 to €130, with ewe type and quality important.

Heavy ewes are trading in the main from €125 to €150, with a selection of top-quality lots to €165 to €175.