Poor weather conditions across the country over the past week have failed to dampen the sheep trade, with mart managers reporting price increases all round – especially for hoggets.
Prices for butcher and factory-fit hoggets have rocketed up towards €140/head – which is a €5.00/head increase compared to last week.
Similarly, there has been a surge in the prices being offered for store hoggets, with prices of up to €120/head being achieved for hoggets weighing 38kg.
According to various mart managers, there are plenty of customers for cast ewes, with factories paying up to €3.00/kg for well-fleshed ewes.
The in-lamb ewe trade continues to hold firm, with prices as high as €190/head being achieved – which is on par with previous weeks.
However, big prices are being paid for ewes with lambs at foot, with farmers paying up to €200/head for ewes with one lamb at foot.
Speaking about the trade over the last few weeks, Eric Driver, who is the mart manager of Tullow Mart, said: “There has been a huge surge in the prices being paid for store hoggets over the past few weeks, with prices for these lots up between €15/head and €20/head compared to this time last year.
There continues to be a strong entry of sheep week-on-week, which is great to see, with plenty of competition between buyers looking to pinch good-quality lots from each other.
“There was a good demand for ewes with lambs at foot last week, with prices of up to €200/head being achieved for aged ewes with one lamb at foot.
“If the trade continues like this over the coming weeks, I would be optimistic that farmers will receive a good price for their spring lambs come April,” Driver concluded.
Baltinglass Mart
Baltinglass Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Saturday last, February 22. There was a large entry of forward store hoggets, with prices for these lots up €3.00-6.00/head, according to the mart manager, Tom Coleman.
Butcher hoggets made up to €140/head, with hoggets weighing between 50kg and 60kg making between €134/head and €140/head.
Factory-fit hoggets weighing between 44kg and 50kg made between €106/head and €133/head.
Forward store hoggets made from €97/head up to €150/head.
There was steady trade for cast ewes, with prices for these lots similar to the previous week. On the day, these lots made between €80/head and €130/head.
Ewes with lambs at foot made from €145/head up to €230/head.
Sample hogget prices:
- 12 hoggets weighing 57kg sold for €140/head;
- 12 hoggets weighing 55kg sold for €139/head;
- One hogget weighing 40kg sold for €126/head;
- Six hoggets weighing 45kg sold for €121/head;
- Two hoggets weighing 40kg sold for €120/head;
- 11 hoggets weighing 47kg sold for €120/head;
- Nine hoggets weighing 43kg sold for €114/head.
Raphoe Mart
Raphoe Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Monday, February 17. There was a good demand for all classes of sheep, with nearly a full clearance on the day, according to the mart manager, Anne Harkin.
Cast ewes were a solid trade, with prices ranging from €70/head up to €139/head.
Ewes with one lamb at foot made between €150/head up to €192/head. Furthermore, ewes with two lambs at foot made between €250/head up to €280/head.
Forward store and factory-fit hoggets were a good trade, with a top price of €134/head achieved on the day for a pen of hoggets weighing 55kg.
Sample hogget prices:
- 35-37kg: €90-105/head;
- 38-42kg: €105-115/head;
- 43-46kg: €115-125/head;
- 47-55kg: €125-134/head.
Carnew Mart
2,742 sheep were on offer at Carnew Mart on Thursday last, February 20. There was a good trade for hoggets, with prices for these lots up €5.00-7.00/head on last week, according to the mart manager, David Quinn.
The top price on the day was achieved by a pen of ewe hoggets weighing 58kg that sold for €145/head.
Similar to the previous week, there was a lively trade for cast ewes, with prices for these lots making up to €143/head.
There was a large number of ewes with lambs at foot on offer, with a strong demand for these lots. Moreover, ewes with one lamb at foot made between €140/head up to €205/head, while ewes with two lambs at foot made between €210/head up to €255/head.
There was a number of in-lamb ewes on offer, with prices for lots ranging between €135/head and €170/head.
Sample hogget prices:
- 24 hoggets weighing 49kg sold for €138/head;
- 17 hoggets weighing 41kg sold for €121/head;
- 19 hoggets weighing 35kg sold for €102.50/head;
- 11 hoggets weighing 58kg sold for €145/head;
- 15 hoggets weighing 50kg sold for €141/head;
- 25 hoggets weighing 50kg sold for €141/head.
Dowra Mart
Dowra Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Friday last, February 21. There was a large entry of sheep on the day, with factory-fit hogget prices up €5.00/head compared to the previous week, according to the mart manager, Patsy Smyth.
The best of the hoggets made from €115/head up to a top price of €138/head. Furthermore, there was a strong entry of forward store hoggets, with prices for these lots ranging from €90/head up to €114/head.
Light hoggets made from €60/head up to €90/head. Heavy cull ewes made from €90/head up to a top price of €130/head, while store ewes sold from €50/head up to €90/head.
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- This pen of 14 hoggets sold for €96.50/head
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- This pen of nine in-lamb ewes sold for €114/head
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- This pen of seven hogget ewes weighing 47kg sold for €120/head
Tullow Mart
Tullow Mart held its weekly sheep sale on Tuesday, February 18. There was a strong entry of sheep on the day, with prices for hoggets up €4.00-5.00/head compared to the previous week, according to the mart manager, Eric Driver.
Hoggets weighing upwards of 50kg made between €138/head and €144/head. A top price of €148/head was achieved on the day for a pen of fleshed hoggets.
Furthermore, hoggets weighing between 33kg and 38kg made between €115/head and €122/head. Moreover, forward store hoggets weighing between 38kg and 42kg made up to €127/head.
There was a good demand for cast ewes, with a top price of €152/head achieved on the day in this class. According to Driver, there were plenty of customers for feeding ewes, weighing between 60kg and 90kg.
There was a solid trade for in-lamb ewes, with prices for these lots ranging between €165/head and €190/head. Similarly, single-bearing ewe hoggets were a good trade, with prices for these lots making up to €190/head.
Driver reported a very strong trade for ewes with lambs at foot, with a lot consisting of 24 ewes with 30 lambs at foot making €200/head.
In general, younger ewes with two lambs at foot made up to €230/head.