Hogget quotes for Thursday are back another 10c/kg this week, with plants working off an opening price of €9.40/kg for quality assured (QA) sheep.

The two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants in Camolin and Navan plus Dawn Kildare are quoting €9.20/kg plus their 20c/kg QA payment.

Groups and regular sellers are being paid €9.50/kg and higher in cases, with factory agents trying to hold prices at this level.

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However, there are still some deals for large consignments being negotiated above this level at €9.60/kg to €9.70/kg.

Agents are digging in harder on carcase weight limits and are trying to curtail paid carcase weight limits to 23kg. Again, there are some deals above this at the top end of the market.

Base quotes for spring lambs are steady in ICM at €9.80/kg plus their 20c/kg QA payment.

Dawn Kildare has reduced its base quote by 10c/kg, but is still offering the highest quote of €9.90/kg plus 20c/kg QA payment.

The majority of deals are being completed at €10/kg to €10.10/kg, with top prices to €10.20/kg-plus.

Kill figures

Numbers coming on stream have tightened significantly and this is reflected in last week’s sheep kill falling by 5,226 head to just 31,636.

Hogget throughput reduced by 5,165 head to 23,275, while spring lamb throughput is slow to build, rising by 1,353 head to 3,799. Ewe and ram throughput fell by 1,414 head to 4,462.

The kill for last week was 9,221 head lower than the corresponding week in 2025.

Dawn Kildare has reduced its ewe quote by 20c/kg to €5.30/kg for ewes weighing from 35kg to 43kg, with ICM unchanged on the same price.

Ballon Meats continues to offer the highest quote, with prices at the top end of the market rising to €5.50/kg to €5.60/kg and higher in cases for batches of ewes delivered to tight specification.

Northern Ireland

Supplies of hoggets and lambs have also tightened in Northern Ireland.

The number of sheep exported to Ireland for direct slaughter last week reduced by over 1,400 head to 2,205, while exports to Britain for direct slaughter were down by about 50 head to 635.

Sheep throughput in factories in Northern Ireland also fell by over 600 head to 5,716 – the second-lowest kill in 2026.

Base hogget quotes for Thursday are steady to 20p/kg back.

Dunbia has reduced its hogget quote by 20p/kg to £8.20/kg (€9.49/kg), but still remains 20p/kg above the ABP plants, which remain unchanged on £8/kg (€9.26/kg).

Groups and regular sellers are being paid 10p/kg to 15p/kg above the going rate.

Variance also remains between lamb prices – Dunbia has reduced its base lamb quote by 10p/kg to £8.90/kg (€10.30/kg) and remains ahead of ABP on £8.60/kg (€9.95/kg).