Hogget prices have been slow to take off in the marts, despite the fact that Easter is just a little over three weeks away.

There are some signs that we are about to turn a corner, with prices for fleshed hoggets weighing 48kg to 50kg making up to €3/head more in sales. These hoggets are selling for €115 to €122/head in the main.

Mart managers have commented that prices for heavier hoggets weighing well over 50kg are a little sluggish. Top prices of €135/head are being paid for top-quality hoggets in this weight range, but are selling in general from €124 to €127/head.

With a little bit more leeway in terms of prices paid in factories, farmers will be hopeful that there will be more improvements in the trade over the coming weeks.

Forward store hoggets weighing 44kg to 47kg are moving from €108 to €118/head, or €64 to €71 over the weight.

Lighter store hoggets weighing 36kg to 42kg are selling from €80 to €105/head.

Numbers of in-lamb ewes in sales is confined to special disposal sales now in the majority of cases. In Tullow Mart, a dispersal sale of 80 in-lamb ewes carrying two lambs on average sold from €160 to €175/head on average. Ewes with two lambs at foot are selling from €180 to €260/unit. Ewes with a single lamb are selling from €140 to €185/unit.

Cull ewes

No major change on cull ewe prices. Medium-sized well-fleshed ewes are selling from €115 to €124/head, with large-framed fleshed ewes making prices as high as €130/head. Ewes not overly fed are selling from €95 to €110/head. Ewes in need of further feeding are selling from €70/head upwards.