This week's sheep trade sees factories reduce their price offering for hoggets by 10c/kg. The price cut - coupled with the recent move to reduce the maximum carcass weight limit by 1kg - has seen €11.20/kg cut from factory hogget prices in recent weeks - and more in some cases.

The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers' Association (ICSA) president Sean McNamara has highlighted that €12-13/head has been taken off hogget prices paid to farmers in recent weeks and said that prices are ranging from €8.90-9.20/kg for hoggets this week.

This week's move is the first official drop in hogget prices since January of this year and while hogget price remains in a relatively positive position compared to other years, some outlets have warned that further price reductions are possible this week.

This week, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes and €8.70/kg plus a 20c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for hoggets leaving €8.90/kg on offer for hoggets here.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based sheep processor said that these price quotes are valid until Wednesday, March 12, and did not rule out further price cuts before the end of the week.

Kepak Athleague in Co. Roscommon is quoting €5.00/kg and €5.10/kg for cull ewes depending on specification and carcass weight and €8.80/kg for QA hoggets.

Kildare Chilling has no official quote for hoggets this week and is quoting €5.20/kg for ‘select ewes’ grading an E2, E3 or U2 and U3 with carcass weights from 35-43kg.

Regular ewes with carcass weights ranging from 25-40kg are being quoted at €4.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus leaving €5.00/kg on offer here.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €5.30/kg for cull ewes and €8.80/kg for hoggets.

Kenmare Mart in Co. Kerry hosted its weekly sheep sale today Monday, March 10, with "outstanding prices, strong demand and plenty of customers", according to Kenmare Mart manager Dan McCarthy.

Commenting on some of the prices in the sheep trade at today's sale, the mart manager said a pen of hoggets with an average weight of 53kg made €200/head.

Looking at some of the prices paid for lighter lambs, he said 40kg hogget rams made €152/head with 30kg making €112/head and 23kg ram lambs making €76/head and 20kg making €50/head.