A flying trade was seen at marts last week for finished hoggets with butcher, wholesalers and factory agents extremely active.
Hoggets over 50kg generally traded from €150/head up to €160/head, while during the latter part of the week, top prices of €160-165/head were being seen at sales.
48-49 hoggets also broke past the €150/head mark at sales throughout the week as well, although many sold from €145/head up to €149/head.
Also Read: ‘Trade for finished hoggets rising week-on-week’ at Enniscorthy Mart45-46kg hoggets have generally been making from €135/head up to €145/head for good-quality lots, with poorer quality lots making from €125/head up to €135/head.
40-44kg have generally been selling from €120/head up to highs of €137-139/head. Even lighter lots weighing 37-39kg have been making from €115/head up to €129/head at some sales, with some as light as 33kg making €120/head.
In-lamb ewes have been to highs of €180-225/head, with poorer-quality in-lamb ewes selling back to €80-110/head.
Ewes with single lambs have been selling to highs of €215-220/unit, while ewes with twin lambs at foot have been making up to €280-320/unit.
Carnew Mart
A sum of 1,877 sheep were on offer at Carnew Mart on Thursday last (February 25). The mart’s manager, David Quinn, reported a big lift in prices of €7-12/head from the previous week.
The top price for finished hoggets on the day was €159/head for a pen of 33 weighing 55kg. In general, finished hoggets sold in excess of €150/head.
Cull ewes were also up by €2-5/head. Heavy cull ewes made up to €145/head, with store ewes starting out at €78/head.
David added that there was a strong demand for both in-lamb ewes and ewes with lambs at foot. In-lamb ewes sold from €130/head up to €185/head.
Meanwhile, ewes with single lambs at foot made from €170/unit up to €220/unit. Ewes with twin lambs at foot traded from €210/unit up to €280/unit.
Sample hogget prices:
- 13 at 33kg sold for €121/head or €3.60/kg;
- 25 at 32kg sold for €115/head or €3.59/kg;
- 41 at 37kg sold for €122/head or €3.29/kg;
- 49 at 40kg sold for €140/head or €3.50/kg;
- 31 at 44kg sold for €139/head or €3.15/kg;
- 24 at 47kg sold for €153/head or €3.25/kg;
- 44 at 48kg sold for €150/head or €3.12/kg;
- 15 at 50kg sold for €154/head or €3.08/kg;
- 33 at 55kg sold for €159/head or €2.89/kg.
Dowra Mart
A slightly smaller sale of sheep was seen at Dowra Mart on Friday last (February 26). However, despite this, the trade was well up for the butcher and factory lambs, according to the mart’s manager, Terry McGovern.
Finished hoggets were stronger by €7-10/head, with a top price of €170/head being achieved for a pen of 53kg hoggets.
Cull ewes traded from €85/head up to a tops of €138/head for heavy culls. In-lamb ewes traded from €110/head up to €198/head.
Sample hogget prices:
- Three at 53kg sold for €168/head or €3.17/kg;
- 14 at 52kg sold for €165.50/head or €3.18/kg;
- 64 at 52.5kg sold for €164/head or €3.17/kg;
- 11 at 50kg sold for €163/head or €3.26/kg;
- 13 at 51.5kg sold for €161.50/head or €3.14/kg;
- 19 at 49kg sold for €160/head or €3.26/kg;
- 14 at 47kg sold for €158/head or €3.36/kg;
- 38 at 50kg sold for €155.50/head or €3.11/kg;
- Nine at 47kg sold for €151.50/head or €3.22/kg;
- 27 at 46kg sold for €147/head or €3.19/kg;
- 13 at 45kg sold for €142/head or €3.16/kg.