Sheep marts: Hogget prices continue to climb upwards

Last week saw marts report record prices at sales for finished hoggets, with top prices reaching as high as €170-175/head.

Some marts, which maybe didn’t see as blistering a trade as some marts – which saw prices go above €165/head – still saw a very strong trade for those heavy hoggets with top prices of €160-164/head.

However, in general, many of those 50kg plus hoggets were moving at prices of €155-165/head, with top prices at some sales reaching €166-175/head in places.

There was quite a bit of variation in prices being paid out for 47-49kg hoggets at marts last week. Prices generally ranged from €137/head up to near €160/head in cases. However, in the main, good-quality types generally sold upwards of €145/head.

Moving down the weights, 44-46kg hoggets in the main traded from €135/head up to €145/head, with some good-quality lots rising to near €150/head. 40-43kg lots generally ranged from €120/head up to €140/head.

Heavy cull ewes sold from €120/head up to €140/head, with some top-quality lots rising to €142-146/head.

The general run of prices for in-lamb ewes was from €80/head for horned ewes up to €190/head for better-quality lowland ewes, with some selling up to near €200/head.

Ewes with twin lambs at foot have been selling from €200/unit up to €290-295/unit, with some rising to as high as €335/unit, as seen in Tuam Mart last week.

Carnew Mart

A large entry of 2,210 sheep were presented for sale at Carnew Mart on Thursday last (March 4). The mart’s manager, David Quinn, said hogget prices hit an all-time new high of €168/head.

Prices for those 50kg plus hoggets generally broke the €150/head mark and sold up to highs of €160-165/head.

David added that all classes of sheep were in strong demand, with heavy cull ewes continuing to trade strongly, as heavy ewes made up to €141/head. In general cull ewe prices ranged from €70/head up to €140/head.

In-lamb ewe prices ranged from €140/head up to €180/head. Lastly, ewes with lambs at foot continue to be met with a very strong demand. Ewes with single lambs at foot sold from €170/unit up to €220/unit.

While ewes with twin lambs at foot traded from €220/unit up to €240/unit.

Roscommon Mart

Maura Quigley reported an improvement in the trade for both hoggets and stag ewes at last Wednesday’s (March 3) sheep sale at Roscommon Mart.

Finished hoggets made up to €170/head for 63kg. Good-quality 50kg plus lots sold in excess of €155/head on the day. Stag ewes made up to €138 and sold back to €52/head for stores.

Maura said that there was also a large entry of in-lamb ewes and ewes with lambs at foot. In-lamb ewes made up to €175/head. Ewes with twin lambs at foot sold up to €295/head.