Sheep Trends: hogget quotes down 20c/kg to 30c/kg

There has been further downward pressure on hogget prices over the last week, with base quotes reduced by 20c/kg to 30c/kg.

Entries are sparse in the quotes table, with Ballon Meats topping prices at an all-in price of €9/kg, while the two Irish Country Meats (ICM) plants in Camolin and Navan are quoting a base of €8.60/kg plus their 20c/kg quality assurance (QA) payment.

Reports from other plants point to a similar position of prices opening in the region of €8.80/kg for QA hoggets.

Deals continue to be completed at €8.90/kg for groups and regular sellers, with those trading at the top end of the market securing €9/kg.

Processors cite continued resistance to higher prices and reduced demand as the reason for price pressure.

A number of plants are also concerned about an increasing percentage of overweight and overfat hoggets in the system and comment that this is exacerbating challenges in moving product.

Some have said that they are currently reviewing their pricing mechanism due to the volume of out-of-spec sheep being presented.

They are encouraging finishers to draft slaughter-fit sheep in a timely manner with in-spec carcases providing the option of trading carcases.

Throughput remains well below the norm, with last week’s sheep kill falling by over 3,000 head to just 36,934.

Throughput is over 10,000 head lower than the corresponding week in 2024 and up to 20,000 head lower than in previous years.

The kill figure for last week includes just 3,040 ewes and rams with the trade for cull ewes remaining firm and strengthening in places.

This is reflected in Ballon Meats increasing its ewe quote to €5.20/kg, while the two ICM plants and Kildare are unchanged at around €5/kg for better-quality ewes.

The live trade is also solid with agents active for all categories of ewes.

Northern Ireland

Quotes in Northern Ireland (NI) have held steady to 10p/kg easier on last week and range from £6.80/kg to £6.90/kg. This is the equivalent of €8.05/kg to €8.17/kg at an exchange rate of 84.5p to the euro.

No official figures have been published this week for imports and exports from NI.

Reports indicate that exports to Ireland for direct slaughter and to farms remain around the 5,000 head mark, with over 1,000 sheep continuing to be exported to Britain and half this amount to continental EU markets.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) reports last week’s UK hogget prices reducing by 5p/kg to £7.35/kg (€8.70/kg).

Reports indicate that prices are under pressure this week to the tune of 5p/kg to 15p/kg.

There are no updated global prices in the Bord Bia sheep price dashboard for recent weeks, but reports also point to some price pressure across key EU markets.