The trade for hoggets destined for slaughter has, in the main, become increasingly challenging in recent weeks and contributed to a faster decline in seasonal throughput.
Heavier hoggets weighing upwards of 50kg are trading anywhere from €140 to €155 in many marts.
There has been a few exceptions to this, with some marts reporting prices €10 to €15 higher where numbers have been very tight, but this has been an exception to the trade.
In contrast, ewe hoggets with breeding potential remain very much in demand, with top-quality lots ranging from €220 to €260-plus for heavy lots weighing 55kg to 60kg-plus with lighter types back to €200.
Lamb numbers have been boosted by some farmers targeting presenting lambs ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
This has increased the number of batches of ram lambs on offer. The general run of prices for lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg-plus is from €192 to €202, with select lots hitting €205 and possibly higher.
Lighter lambs weighing around the 46kg to 47kg mark are selling anywhere from below €170 for lots with poor slaughter potential to upwards of €180 to €185 for top-quality lots capable of maxing out paid carcase weights.
The trade for cull ewes is steady to slightly easier, with some factories trying to exert downward price pressure.
Good-quality lowland ewes are trading from €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg, with fewer reports of prices rising to €3/kg or more.
Ewes of a lesser quality are trading from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg, with ewes lacking flesh cover back to €2/kg. Hill ewes range from €1.30/kg to €1.70/kg for fleshed lighter carcase ewes to upwards of €2/kg to €2.40/kg for heavier types.
Significant numbers of ewes with lambs at foot continue to appear in marts along the western coast, with demand firm.
Twin-lamb outfits range from €320 to €380 for second- or third-crop ewes with good lambs, rising to over €400 for younger ewes and below €300 for aged small-framed ewes.
Single-lamb lots range from €180 to €270 with young ewes climbing above €300 and hill ewes back to €150 and lower.
The trade for hoggets destined for slaughter has, in the main, become increasingly challenging in recent weeks and contributed to a faster decline in seasonal throughput.
Heavier hoggets weighing upwards of 50kg are trading anywhere from €140 to €155 in many marts.
There has been a few exceptions to this, with some marts reporting prices €10 to €15 higher where numbers have been very tight, but this has been an exception to the trade.
In contrast, ewe hoggets with breeding potential remain very much in demand, with top-quality lots ranging from €220 to €260-plus for heavy lots weighing 55kg to 60kg-plus with lighter types back to €200.
Lamb numbers have been boosted by some farmers targeting presenting lambs ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
This has increased the number of batches of ram lambs on offer. The general run of prices for lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg-plus is from €192 to €202, with select lots hitting €205 and possibly higher.
Lighter lambs weighing around the 46kg to 47kg mark are selling anywhere from below €170 for lots with poor slaughter potential to upwards of €180 to €185 for top-quality lots capable of maxing out paid carcase weights.
The trade for cull ewes is steady to slightly easier, with some factories trying to exert downward price pressure.
Good-quality lowland ewes are trading from €2.60/kg to €2.90/kg, with fewer reports of prices rising to €3/kg or more.
Ewes of a lesser quality are trading from €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg, with ewes lacking flesh cover back to €2/kg. Hill ewes range from €1.30/kg to €1.70/kg for fleshed lighter carcase ewes to upwards of €2/kg to €2.40/kg for heavier types.
Significant numbers of ewes with lambs at foot continue to appear in marts along the western coast, with demand firm.
Twin-lamb outfits range from €320 to €380 for second- or third-crop ewes with good lambs, rising to over €400 for younger ewes and below €300 for aged small-framed ewes.
Single-lamb lots range from €180 to €270 with young ewes climbing above €300 and hill ewes back to €150 and lower.
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