Last week was a far more positive week for trading at sheep marts with prices up on average €2-5/head; however, there is some way to go yet before prices return to levels seen before a steep fall over three weeks ago.

Mart managers speaking to Agriland were much more positive about the trade and noted an improved trade also for cull ewes.

Heavy hoggets attracting butcher interest were making top calls of €150-156/head and falling back to the €145/head mark.

Where they felt they could, factory agents competed for these heavy hoggets and pushed prices to €143-145/head.

Prices for factory hoggets varied across marts and ranged from €135/head up to €145/head in general. Crossbred types sold €5-10/head below this range and lowland bred hoggets in the mid-40kg weight range where factory agents remained active.

Forward store hoggets in the main traded from €100/head up to €125/head.

Light store hoggets in the case of lowland bred types, upwards of 30kg, sold for €70-100/head, with hill-bred hoggets of the same weight starting €10-15/head below this level at €55-60/head.

Turning to the cull ewe trade, reports have come in of heavy fleshed ewes surpassing €200/head and although instances are small, it is positive news to hear.

In general, the trade for heavy ewes was up last week with more marts reporting highs of between €160-190/head, with prices starting at €135-145/head for fleshed types.

The trade for in-lamb ewes mirrored that of the previous week, with a wide range in prices, with one mart manager saying that value was available for those who were willing to lamb down ewes.

A couple of special entries of in-lamb were entered at some marts which saw highs of €220-280/head.

But the general trade for in-lamb ewes at marts ranged from €120/head up to €180/head and stretching to €200/head at some sales.