The mart trade has moved up a gear from the week before, with increasing factory prices continuing to trickle down into the mart trade, as numbers tighten further and factory agents intensify efforts to secure supplies.
Butchers and wholesalers remain very active at sales and this is leading to fierce competition, which is helping to drive the trade on further.
Prices for those fleshed hoggets in excess of 50kg have been ranging from €150/head up to €160/head; however, this past week, similar hoggets, particularly those weighing above 52-53kg, have been making €155-160/head, with some selling to highs of €162/head.
Last week, prices of €150-155/head were regularly seen, with isolated cases of prices rising to €160/head. But this week, the trade at some sales as pushed on in some cases by as much as €5/head, with other mart managers reporting price increases of €2-3/head.
47-49kg hoggets are generally selling from €140/head up to €150/head, with some selling over the €150/head mark.
Cull ewe trade
Although the factory trade for cull ewes has cooled somewhat over the last few weeks, the mart trade for heavy culls remains strong.
Prices of up to €3.20/kg in the factory were being achieved for those fleshed culls a few weeks back; however, that has eased back to €3.00kg, with €3.10/kg being got in cases.
Ringside, heavy culls continue to sell from €120/head up to €140/head, with isolated cases of ewes making from €145/head up to €150/head.
A lot of ewes scanned empty have been presented for sale at marts over the last few weeks, which has seen some sales record bigger than normal numbers of culls.