There are variable reports on the hogget trade this week. Factories are trying to pull hogget prices back and have given agents a mandate to ease back on the prices they are willing to pay.

At the same time, they are keen to get their hands on numbers amid quickly diminishing supplies.

As such, agents are not getting the traction they desire, with prices steady or €3 to €4 easier in places. Quality is hugely variable and this is feeding into a large differential in prices paid. Hoggets weighing 50kg to 55kg are selling anywhere from €150 upwards for poorer-quality types to the mid-€160 mark.

There is more interest in the last week from farmers purchasing ewe hoggets and this has witnessed top prices rising to €165 to €170 on occasion for top-quality heavy ewe hoggets.

Numbers in many marts are in the high double-digit or low treble-digit figures this week and managers expect this to continue to fall off rapidly.

Spring lamb numbers seem to be slower to increase this year. Demand is firm, with quality again strongly influencing prices paid. Lighter spring lambs weighing around 40kg to 42kg are selling from €145 upwards for lambs lacking flesh to the mid-€150s for well-fleshed lambs capable of achieving a good-kill out.

Similarly, lambs weighing 43kg to 47kg are selling from €155 to €165 on average, with top-quality heavier lots attracting butcher attention rising to €170 and higher.

There is more life reported in the cull ewe trade in many sales, with buyers purchasing ewes for live export or in carcase form to satisfy niche market demand back competing after being absent from the trade for a couple of weeks.

Heavy ewes weighing in the region of 95kg to upwards of 100kg are selling in the main from €170 to €200/head with select lots topping €200 and selling to €210 to €220.

Ewes weighing in the region of 80kg to 85kg are selling from €130 to €160, with young well-conformed ewes at the higher end of the price range.

Lighter ewes weighing 70kg to 75kg are selling from €100 to €120/head for fleshed lots, with ewes presented lacking flesh from €70 to €80 upwards. Scottish Blackface ewes are selling from €1/kg for poor-quality types to €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg for better quality.