A small sale of sheep at Corrin Mart was met with a belter of a trade, with butcher hoggets hitting a high of €164/head at yesterday’s sale (Monday, February 15).
The mart’s manager, Sean Leahy, said that numbers are getting tight, especially good butcher hoggets, which is helping to drive the trade on.
Looking at the trade on the day, butcher hoggets generally made from €142/head up to €164/head, with 45-48kg lots making from €135/head up to €145/head.
40-44kg hoggets sold as far back as €84/head for cross-bred types and made up to a tops of €126/head for better-quality types. Cull ewes sold from €72/head for stores up to €128/head for heavy ewes.
Sample butcher hogget prices:
- Nine weighing 51.8kg sold for €164/head or €2.78/kg;
- 11 weighing 55.6kg sold for €162/head or €2.91/kg;
- 10 weighing 50.6kg sold for €158/head or €3.12/kg;
- 11 weighing 53kg sold for €158/head or €2.98/kg;
- Two weighing 52kg sold for €144/head or €2.76/kg;
- Three weighing 50.7kg sold for €142/head or €2.80/kg.
Speaking about the trade to AgriLand on Monday, Sean Leahy, said: “All round we saw a very good trade on Monday. Those butcher hoggets were a super trade.
Last week they made up to a top price of €166/head, while this week they made up to €164/head. Those heavy hoggets are in short supply and that’s probably driving the trade on for those types.
“The factory-type lambs and stores were also met with a great trade. I saw a pen of 44.8kg store lambs make €126/head – which was a great price. All in all, the trade is very good for the time of the year.”