Sheep Watch: cull ewe prices strengthening

Cull ewe prices have been on the rise lately, driven by greater factory demand. Factory agents have been very active in sales buying up fleshed ewes ready for slaughter.

Top prices paid in sales have reached €150/head for top-quality large-framed fleshed ewes. Average-quality fleshed ewes are making €120 to €130/head in a lot of cases, with some smaller-framed but fleshed ewes making €110 to €120/head. Store ewes are selling from €70 upwards. Farmers selling through the factories are securing prices of €3/kg and higher for ewes.

The hogget trade in the marts remains solid, with Ramadan keeping a floor under prices and helping to combat the traditional lull after Easter. Fleshed hoggets weighing 50kg-plus are selling for €126 to €129/head. Hoggets weighing 52kg to 55kg are seeing the strongest demand as factory agents’ appetites for hoggets any heavier is poor, at best. Top prices paid for hoggets is still hovering around €130/head.

Spring lamb numbers are rising slowly in the marts, but hoggets still easily make up the main throughput of sales. Good-quality spring lambs weighing 43kg to 46kg are selling for €120 to €127/head. Heavier lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg are selling from €128 to €130/head, with very few exceeding that range. Some lighter lambs weighing 38kg are selling from €115/head upwards.

Ewes with lambs are meeting a steady trade. Young ewes with two lambs at foot are selling anywhere from €200 to €250/unit, with some top-quality lots reaching €270/unit. Older ewes with two lambs are making from €175 to €190/unit.