There has been an increase in the number of hogget ewes appearing at mart sales in recent weeks and there are a few probable factors contributing to this.
A similar situation occurred last year when hogget prices were on the rise. This year however, prices not any better off due to the rising input costs on-farm.
One possible factor for the rising amount of hoggets appear at marts is that some farmers may be eager to sell on their lesser-quality hogget ewes.
These may be ewes that farmers don’t feel will be worth showing at breeding sales later in the year, or some that have scanned empty.
Another factor may be that farmers are unwilling to chance bringing out as many hogget ewes to breeding sales this autumn, in fear that the demand won’t be there.
Last autumn, many farmers were caught off guard when they had purchased more ewe lambs the year before having witnessed an improved year in terms of prices in 2020, with the expectation that the demand, along with prices, would continue as such; however, that failed to materialise.
Good prices were still achieved for hogget ewes, either at general mart sales or special breeding-group sales, but the lesser-quality hogget ewes which there were more of, didn’t reach the heights that were expected.
In saying all that, for farmers moving on hogget ewes that haven’t been pushed hard with feed, with the way prices are now, it may turn out to be a good time to move them on.