For the first time in quite a while, the sheep trade has taken a dip, with prices for lambs, in particular, fleshed hoggets, easier by €2-5/head at some marts, while others reported prices to be easier by €7-10/head.
Factories looked to take the sting out of the trade last week and they successfully did that. Factory agents were keen to secure a supply of lambs at marts but weren’t prepared to pay prices seen the week before.
The week before last, prices for well-fleshed hoggets hit highs of €155-163/head, whereas, this past week many mart managers reported highs of between €140/head up to €145/head for 50kg+ hoggets, with one or two isolated reports of fleshed hoggets hitting €149/head.
40-43kg hoggets, over the past week, varied more, with prices starting out as low as €110/head and reaching €128/head.
Good-quality lowland stores in the 35-39kg bracket sold to highs of €120-125/head at some marts, but, in general, prices of between €100/head up to €115/head were quite commonly seen.
Also Read: Pics from the mart: Hoggets top out €140/head at LoughreaThe cull ewe trade continues to remain steady, with well-fleshed ewes selling upwards of €125/head and hitting a tops of €140/head.
Ewes with single lambs at foot have been selling from €170/head up to €210/head, while ewes with twin lambs at foot have been making €250-295/head.
Carnew Mart
David Quinn of Carnew Mart reported a large entry of 2,879 sheep at last Thursday’s sale; however, he noted that hogget prices were easier by €5-10/head on the previous week.
Although, all other classes of sheep recorded an excellent trade, with prices similar to the previous week.
Hoggets sold up to a top price of €145/head which was a substantial drop off from the €163/head recorded the previous Thursday.
Heavy cull ewes sold up to a high of €134/head, with feeding-types starting from €75/head.
In-lamb ewes were a stronger trade than the week before, with prices hitting highs of €222/head.
Sample hogget prices:
- 17 at 62kg sold for €145/head or €2.33/kg;
- 31 at 51kg sold for €141/head or €2.76/kg;
- 27 at 48kg sold for €137/head or €2.85/kg;
- 27 at 42kg sold for €130/head or €3.09/kg;
- 40 at 50kg sold for €137/head or €2.74/kg;
- 50 at 33kg sold for €104/head or €3.15/kg;
- 27 at 38kg sold for €122/head or €3.21/kg;
- 60 at 36kg sold for €102/head or €2.83/kg;
- 25 at 44kg sold for €128/head or €2.90/kg;
- 30 at 47kg sold for €131/head or €2.78/kg;
- 16 at 49kg sold for €139/head or €2.83/kg.
Manorhamilton Mart
A large entry of “excellent sheep” were reported to be on offer at Manorhamilton Mart last Wednesday (January 20).
Fat hoggets were back slightly and made up to a tops of €143/head for a pen of 54kg hoggets. Meanwhile, the store trade remained steady, with good-quality lots making over €3.00/kg.
The start of the ewes with lambs at foot were met with a very strong trade. Lowland in-lamb ewes made from €160/head up to €225/head for young ewes carrying 1.5 lambs.
Mountain-bred in-lamb ewes made from €80/head up to €150/head for ewes carrying 1.5 lambs.
Sample hogget prices:
- Seven at 52kg sold for €139/head or €2.67/kg;
- 12 at 33kg sold for €97/head or €2.93/kg;
- 30 at 39kg sold for €119/head or €3.05/kg;
- Six at 52kg sold for €143/head or €2.75/kg;
- 26 at 47kg sold for €130/head or €2.76/kg;
- 11 at 48kg sold for €138/head or €2.88/kg;
- Seven at 34kg sold for €106/head or €3.11/kg.