The hogget and lamb trade at Kilkenny Mart has reached new heights at recent sales, according to the mart manager.
At the sheep sale on Monday, March 11, Kilkenny mart manager George Candler said, in all his time on the podium (which is over 50 years), “I have never witnessed such prices”.
There was “an amazing trade” reported for hoggets and lambs at the sale, with a top price of €230/head for a 58kg butcher lamb.
“For the first time, I can remember hoggets/lambs reached €230.”
However, Candler advised caution, as he explained: “At this price, farmers should realise that these prices are unsustainable, but at the moment there are orders to fill, sheep are in short supply, and Ramadan is also taking place.”
Candler told Agriland that factors including the scarcity of numbers of lambs, shipping issues in the Suez Canal, and Ramadan, have created “a perfect storm to create a healthy trade”.
Sample butcher lamb prices:
- 58kg- €230;
- 55kg- €224;
- 54kg- €220;
- 52kg- €208.
Factory lamb prices:
- 47kg – €182;
- 46kg – €175;
- 44kg – €165.
Prices for cast ewes ranged from €80 to €204/ewe.
Tullamore Mart
In a sheep sale on Wednesday, March 13, the trade for lambs, hoggets and cull ewes was reported as “on fire” at Tullamore Mart in Co. Offaly.
The top price seen at the sale was €253 for a 56kg hogget, while a hogget of the same weight made €222 on the day.
Sample prices:
- 54kg-€234;
- 55kg-€228;
- 48kg-€196;
- 47.5kg-€186;
- 36kg-€144;
- 38kg-€131;
- 35kg-€123;
- 30kg-€94.
Cull ewes ranged in price from €75 up to €290.
Ennis Mart
On Monday in Ennis Mart, there was a bigger sale seen with almost 600 sheep on offer on the day.
The trade was reported as “a slight shade stronger” with a pen of 10 lambs weighing 52.5kg selling for €208/head.
There was also a pair of spring lambs weighing 58.5kg that made €213/head.
Cull ewes a very firm trade also, as six ewes weighing 83.5kg made €185.
Sample lamb prices:
- 52.5kg- €208;
- 62.5kg- €208;
- 53kg- €201;
- 53kg- €200;
- 51kg- €197;
- 48kg- €184;
- 46kg- €176;
- 40kg- €163.