The trade for both hoggets and spring lambs is holding steady after some improvements last week. There were hopes of price increases with tightening hogget numbers, but this has not materialised.

One of the main positives in the trade is the improved demand for good-quality ewe hoggets. Good-quality lots are making €10 to €15/head premiums over equivalent-weight wether hoggets.

In some sales, quality ewe hoggets weighing 50kg to 55kg are selling for €114/head to as high as €130/head.

Factory hoggets weighing 48kg to 52kg are selling for €112 to €115/head. However, where hoggets are lacking flesh or quality is variable, price reductions of €5 to €10/head compared with similar-weight lots can be expected. Lighter hoggets weighing 40kg to 45kg are selling for €78 to €100/head.

Prices paid for spring lambs are variable. Fleshed lambs weighing 40kg to 44kg suitable for slaughter are moving at €105 to €120/head or €65 to €76 over the weight. Lighter lambs weighing 37kg to 39kg are making €90 to €104/head. Heavier spring lambs are making a top of €125/head where butcher activity is strong.

The number of ewes with lambs at foot is not drying up yet and continues to make a strong trade. Third-crop ewes with three lambs at foot have sold for €250/unit this week. Ewes with a single lamb at foot are selling for €135 to €190/unit. Ewes with two lambs are making €175 to €265/unit. Prices paid are dependent on the age of the ewe and the lambs.

Cull ewes

Numbers of cull ewes have spiked this week as farmers offload dry ewes after the lambing season. One mart manager said the higher numbers may have eased prices slightly, especially for large-framed fleshed ewes. Fleshed ewes are moving at €105 to €135/head, with lowland-bred feeding ewes moving at €65 to €90/head.

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Hogget prices ease but cull ewes doing a strong trade