The cost of feed is telling and more lighter hoggets are appearing as farmers aren’t getting the return from feeding lambs, David Faughnan of Ballymote Mart has said.
However, David, the mart’s manager, also said that farmers were keen on store hogget/lamb ewes at Tuesday’s (January 31) weekly sale.
The number of hoggets on offer was around the 300-head mark which he said was a bit back for the time of year.
Giving a rundown of the trade at Tuesday’s sale to Agriland, Faughnan said: “Hogget ewes and forward store lambs were a bright trade. Over the past two weeks the trade has been good overall in comparison to a few weeks back.
“Numbers were back for the time of year but the cost of meal is the main driver of that and as the year goes on I’d expect it to get busier as farmers look to take advantage of grass once it starts coming.
“There were was a good demand among farmers in Ballymote for hogget ewes over the 40kg mark. With the ewes they can run them on grass and either have them for finishing in a few months, sell them as breeders or keep them on.
“Those that will and are buying stores for finishing won’t be pushing them with the cost of meal.”
Sample ewe hogget prices:
- 42kg sold for €119/head;
- 37kg sold for €106/head;
- 32kg sold for €90/head;
- 44kg sold for €131/head;
- 40kg sold for €118/head;
- 33kg sold for €96/head.
“Even lighter stores saw some good prices, but generally were for ewes with ram lambs a tougher trade.
“The trade for factory hoggets was similar to the week and was solid. Prices for factory-fit hoggets ranged from €130/head up to highs of €145-147/head.
Sample finished hogget prices:
- 48.5kg sold for €146/head;
- 55kg sold for €145/head;
- 50kg sold for €147/head;
- 46kg sold for €130/head;
- 45.5kg sold for €140/head.
“Cull ewes were a strong trade particularly for the heavier ewes with prices making to a high of €182/head for 90kg. Heavier lots started from €145/head.
“Medium sized ewes made from €105/head up to €140/head with store ewes selling for €50-100/head.
“We had a number of in-lamb ewes on offer and over the last two sales we’ve seen a good demand for them with prices on Tuesday reaching a high of €195/head and starting from €170/head.
“While ewes with lambs at foot made up to a high of €200/unit for a ewe with a single lamb.”