This pen of first prize winning hoggets weighing 80kg sold for €450/head (€5.62/kg) in the Mayo Mule and Greyface sale last week.
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Breeding ewe hogget returns are up on average by €40 to €50/head, with a percentage of the highest-quality hoggets in special sales exceeding €400/head.
At the Mayo Mule and Greyface Group premier sale held in Aurivo Mart, Ballinrobe, 90% of hoggets exceeded €300/head compared with just 10% in 2024, and 16% of hoggets surpassed €400/head.
Over €300/head
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Prices paid outside of special breeding sales have been slightly cooler this week but top-quality lots are still exceeding €300/head.
Ram sales are also recording higher averages of upwards of €100/head, with top pedigree rams exceeding €1,000/head.
At the Sheep Ireland sale, 560 rams across 16 breeds sold on average for €913/head, up €60/head on 2024 levels.
The sale had a 10% lower clearance rate of 80% when compared with 2024.
Tight supplies
The strong start to sales is driven by tight supplies of breeding sheep and lamb prices running around 10% higher year-on-year.
Some mart managers report that the optimism in early sales has been dented somewhat this week by pressure on lamb prices with quotes reducing by 10c/kg and falling below the €8/kg mark.
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Breeding ewe hogget returns are up on average by €40 to €50/head, with a percentage of the highest-quality hoggets in special sales exceeding €400/head.
At the Mayo Mule and Greyface Group premier sale held in Aurivo Mart, Ballinrobe, 90% of hoggets exceeded €300/head compared with just 10% in 2024, and 16% of hoggets surpassed €400/head.
Over €300/head
Prices paid outside of special breeding sales have been slightly cooler this week but top-quality lots are still exceeding €300/head.
Ram sales are also recording higher averages of upwards of €100/head, with top pedigree rams exceeding €1,000/head.
At the Sheep Ireland sale, 560 rams across 16 breeds sold on average for €913/head, up €60/head on 2024 levels.
The sale had a 10% lower clearance rate of 80% when compared with 2024.
Tight supplies
The strong start to sales is driven by tight supplies of breeding sheep and lamb prices running around 10% higher year-on-year.
Some mart managers report that the optimism in early sales has been dented somewhat this week by pressure on lamb prices with quotes reducing by 10c/kg and falling below the €8/kg mark.
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