The strong start to the trade for ewe hoggets is setting the headlines in mart sales in recent weeks.

Top-quality ewe hoggets in special breeding sales are exceeding the €300 per head mark, with top prices rising to €370 to €400 and in cases topping this range. The Borris Ewe Breeders Association sale saw over 35% of the entry exceed €400 per head.

Plainer-quality and lighter ewe hoggets are selling back to €240 to €260 per head, but numbers of such types are a small percentage of the overall entries to date.

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Lamb prices are steady, with numbers of finished lambs remaining in tight supply and factory agents remaining keen not to let any sheep return home unsold.

Lambs weighing in excess of 50kg are selling on average from €172 to €183, with the extra half a kilo carcase weight on offer in some factories boosting demand for heavier types.

At the higher end of the market, butcher and wholesale type lambs are selling in smaller numbers to €185 to €190 per head and higher in cases.

Ewe lambs with breeding potential are attracting a premium on price, and sellers are encouraged to batch such sheep together to unlock maximum demand.

Prices for lighter lambs weighing 46kg to 47kg range anywhere from €155 to in excess of €170, with quality and potential slaughter performance having a big say on price.

Store lambs

The trade for store lambs is being boosted by positive grass growth and keen interest from beef farmers with surplus grass.

Store lambs weighing from 37kg to 40kg are trading on average from €3.65/kg to €4.00/kg, with individual batches including ewe lambs with breeding potential exceeding this range and selling to upwards of €4.20/kg to €4.30/kg.

The trade for light lambs is stronger on a price per kilo basis, with prices for good-quality lambs ranging from €3.80/kg to €4.20/kg. Plainer-quality types are selling in smaller numbers back to €3/kg to €3.30/kg.

Cull ewes are firm with quality ewes selling from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg and a top of €2.80/kg plus. Feeding lowland ewes are topping €2/kg, while hill ewes are selling from €1.50/kg to €2/kg.