The cull ewes trade has strengthened in marts in the last week, with live exporters very active for heavy fleshed ewes and medium-weight ewes with excellent conformation and a good kill-out potential.

There have been isolated reports in a few marts of a price of €200/head being paid for heavy ewes weighing as high as 110kg and possessing excellent conformation.

Some of these ewes have been pedigree continental ewes, which gives a flavour of the type of ewes commanding the higher prices.

The trade in general for ewes is strong, with heavier fleshed ewes weighing 90kg and upwards selling in a typical price range of €140 to €175/head.

Scottish Blackface-type ewes continue to trade from €1/kg for ewes in the region of 45kg to 50kg rising to €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg

The price differential is equally wide for ewes weighing in the region of 80kg, with prices ranging from €120 to €160/head.

Scottish Blackface-type ewes continue to trade from €1/kg for ewes in the region of 45kg to 50kg rising to €1.30/kg to €1.50/kg for larger-framed and heavier ewes.

Reports on the hogget trade are variable. Some marts in the east and south of the country report a significant tightening in numbers resulting in prices increasing by as much as €5/head.

This has witnessed hoggets weighing in excess of 50kg selling from €155 to the low €160s, with top prices rising to €170 on occasion for butcher-type lots.

Prices in the west are still typically falling within a range of €152 to €158 for good-quality hoggets weighing in excess of 50kg.

Young ewes with twin lambs at foot or aged large-framed ewes with strong lambs at foot are selling from €250 to €330

Store lamb prices are solid, with any good-quality lambs easily exceeding €3/kg and short-keep lambs weighing in the region of 40kg to 43kg selling from €125 to €136 on average, while heavier lambs in the region of 45kg to 46kg are trading from €134 to €146, depending on condition and quality.

The trade for ewes with lambs at foot is firm, but a big variation exists and is driven by a big gulf in the quality of lots on offer.

Young ewes with twin lambs at foot or aged large-framed ewes with strong lambs at foot are selling from €250 to €330, with poor-quality lots back to €200/head. Likewise, single lambs lots are selling from €130 to €160 for broken-mouth ewes with poor-quality lambs to in excess of €200 for young ewes and quality outfits with strong lambs.