Sheep breeding sales have started the season in excellent form with farmer confidence buoyed by higher farmgate returns in recent months. The Tullow Sheep Breeders Association premier sale of Suffolk-Cheviot cross ewe hoggets and ewe lambs on Wednesday improved significantly on 2019 levels.
Hogget prices increased to the tune of €15 to €20/head, with lighter types making €170 to €190 and top-quality lots as high as €220 to €250.
Mart managers are also reporting much stronger interest in general sheep sales and this bodes well as the sheep breeding sales catalogue for replacements ramps up.
Anecdotal reports suggest some farmers are looking to replenish their ewe flocks after a relatively positive year, while weak beef markets are said to be driving some farmers in the west of the country to increase sheep numbers instead of cattle.
The strong demand for breeding sheep is also being influenced by a continued solid cull ewe trade, reducing the cost of upgrading flocks.
Lamb blip
The finished lamb trade hit a blip this week as markets experienced a period of uncertainty following strong buying for last week’s Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
Quotes for this week have fallen 20c/kg, with prices ranging from €5.00/kg to €5.30/kg. The sheep kill was recorded at a massive 77,304 head leaving the kill for the last two weeks reaching 150,000 head.
With prices under pressure and farmers drafting higher numbers in recent weeks, it is likely the kill will ease back sharply in the coming weeks.
Read more
Map: sheep welfare payments total €53m over three years
Tag application procedures will influence retention rates
Sheep management: selecting rams and pre-mating vaccinations
Sheep breeding sales have started the season in excellent form with farmer confidence buoyed by higher farmgate returns in recent months. The Tullow Sheep Breeders Association premier sale of Suffolk-Cheviot cross ewe hoggets and ewe lambs on Wednesday improved significantly on 2019 levels.
Hogget prices increased to the tune of €15 to €20/head, with lighter types making €170 to €190 and top-quality lots as high as €220 to €250.
Mart managers are also reporting much stronger interest in general sheep sales and this bodes well as the sheep breeding sales catalogue for replacements ramps up.
Anecdotal reports suggest some farmers are looking to replenish their ewe flocks after a relatively positive year, while weak beef markets are said to be driving some farmers in the west of the country to increase sheep numbers instead of cattle.
The strong demand for breeding sheep is also being influenced by a continued solid cull ewe trade, reducing the cost of upgrading flocks.
Lamb blip
The finished lamb trade hit a blip this week as markets experienced a period of uncertainty following strong buying for last week’s Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha.
Quotes for this week have fallen 20c/kg, with prices ranging from €5.00/kg to €5.30/kg. The sheep kill was recorded at a massive 77,304 head leaving the kill for the last two weeks reaching 150,000 head.
With prices under pressure and farmers drafting higher numbers in recent weeks, it is likely the kill will ease back sharply in the coming weeks.
Read more
Map: sheep welfare payments total €53m over three years
Tag application procedures will influence retention rates
Sheep management: selecting rams and pre-mating vaccinations
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