The sheep trade has eased slightly this week with the trade for in-lamb ewes and store hoggets a little weaker in a number of venues.
Store hoggets were a little easier in Kenmare Mart on Saturday, according to the Mart Manager, Dan McCarthy.
The plainer store hoggets are meeting a tougher trade and the wet weather over the past couple of weeks has done little to help, McCarthy said.
He also said that the plainer stores are struggling to break the €2/kg barrier.
A similar story was also evident in Mountbellew Mart on Saturday, according to the Mart Manager Marianne Higgins, who said store hoggets had slipped a little in price on the previous week, with stores back by €2-3/head.
Further north in Raphoe Mart in Co. Donegal, the Mart Manager Anne Harkin said that some farmers were disappointed with the prices they received for in-lamb ewes.
She said that there is demand for springing ewes, but farmers are just not willing to pay over the top for these lots.
The reduced prices being paid for these lots is worrying, as this is the peak time of year for the sales of springing and in-lamb ewes, she said.
Ewes scanned in-lamb with twins on Monday sold from €130-142 each.
Sheep trade round up
Mountbellew Mart
There was a similar number of sheep on offer in Mountbellew Mart on Saturday, according to the Mart Manager Marianne Higgins.
Higgins said that cast ewes met with an improved trade on the previous week, with prices ranging from €88-126 each.
However, the trade for the store hoggets was a little easier, but demand remained good for the better quality fleshed lots.
She also said that ewes with lambs at foot also sold well, as ewes with twin lambs sold from €212-220 and those with singles making €160-176 each.
There was over 1,000 sheep on offer in Kenmare Mart on Saturday, according to the Mart Manager Dan McCarthy and there was a good trade overall, with the exception of the plain store hoggets.
The lighter store hogget has slipped a little on the previous weeks sale, he said, with the light scotch type meeting a difficult trade. However, he said that the better quality lowland hogget and the factory and butcher hoggets continue to met a very strong trade. He said that factory hoggets traded from €2.31-2.45/kg.
Scotch type store hoggets made from €1.82-2.34/kg, while the better quality Suffolk hogget sold at €2.14-2.32/kg.
He also said that cast ewes are holding fairly strong, with the majority of these lots selling for over €1/kg. And, the trade for in-lamb ewes was also good with young in-lamb mountain ewes trading at €90-110 each.
Despite some farmers being disappointed with the prices paid for in-lamb ewes, Harkin said there was good demand for the remainder of the sheep on offer.
She said there was plenty of buyers present for hoggets, with good quality well-fed lots most in demand. Factory types traded from €65-80 over and butcher types made €70-81 over.
Harkin also said that store lambs also remain in good demand, as farmers are beginning to purchase lambs to graze. These lots made from €55-70 over.
Fat ewes also sold well, she said, with cast ewes making from €60-143, as there were extra buyers looking to purchase good quality ewes.
Kenmare Mart
Raphoe Mart