In this week’s sheep trade, factory hogget price quotes have been pulled back by 10c/kg while ewe price remains steady.
Price cuts for hoggets have materialised over the last three weeks after a brief recovery had been seen four weeks ago.
This week’s trade sees Kildare Chilling reduce its quote for hoggets by 10c/kg to €5.90/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assurance (QA) bonus.
Irish Country Meats has also reduced its hogget price by 10c/kg to €5.80/kg plus a QA bonus of 20c/kg.
Prices at the higher-end of the market are now at €6.10/kg in general, with some deals being secured by producers, particularly where larger numbers are on hand.
The ewe trade remains unchanged. Base quotes remain at €3.00-3.20/kg, with top prices hitting €3.50-3.60/kg.
Sheep trade: Hill-bred stores
Agriland spoke to Dan McCarthy, Kenmare Mart manager, last week, who said that hill-bred store lambs are back by as much as €25/head on last year.
This is a result of the feed costs going up on farms, he said, which is having a knock-on effect down the line.
He said there is “huge concern” around the future of the store lamb trade for hill-bred lambs.
“The concern for me is that if this continues the hill lamb could become extinct and the hill farmer will be gone too then after that,” he added.
“The next generation aren’t going to travel the hills to gather the sheep at the money they are making currently.”
However, the mart manager said: “We will keep going until the end if it’s anyways viable but currently it’s a struggle.”