Mart managers report a sluggish trade for finished hoggets this week.
Supply and demand remains finely balanced, so agents are still active, but just not with the same intensity as last week.
The majority of slaughter-fit hoggets weighing from 50kg to 53kg are trading on average from €170 to €176/head, with some butcher-type or better-quality and heavier hoggets selling to upwards of €180.
The heavier hoggets trading above €180/head are mainly confined to marts where there is an active wholesale and butcher trade, with factory agents not willing to pay higher for heavier lots.
A number of mart managers have noticed a bit more life for ewe lambs, stating that a few buyers have entered the trade to keep numbers constant after selling cull ewes.
Prices are trending a few euro ahead of finished lamb prices with the exception of a couple of buyers going head to head on quality types.
The trade for store lambs is holding ok, despite the ongoing challenging weather.
A high percentage of lowland lambs continue to trade from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg, with some infrequent lots in cases rising to €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, poor-quality lots are trading back to €3/kg. The trade for hill types is steady at a range of €3/kg to €3.35/kg, with poor-quality slipping below €3/kg.
Cull ewes are largely unchanged, with a price of €2/kg to €2.15/kg buying a large percentage of heavier carcase lots. There are small numbers rising to €2.20/kg and above.
Lowland ewes with an average cover of flesh are still trading from €1.60/kg to €1.90/kg, as are heavier Scottish Blackface ewes. Mixed-quality types are selling back to €1/kg.
Weather is also said to be having an effect on demand for in-lamb ewes. There are some top-quality larger-framed young ewes carrying 1.8 to two lambs selling from €270 to €330, with older and smaller-framed ewes back to €200/head.
A few mart managers said that lots presented with triplet ewes to balance or improve litter size has put some buyers off competing and are advising to batch these on their own.
Mart managers report a sluggish trade for finished hoggets this week.
Supply and demand remains finely balanced, so agents are still active, but just not with the same intensity as last week.
The majority of slaughter-fit hoggets weighing from 50kg to 53kg are trading on average from €170 to €176/head, with some butcher-type or better-quality and heavier hoggets selling to upwards of €180.
The heavier hoggets trading above €180/head are mainly confined to marts where there is an active wholesale and butcher trade, with factory agents not willing to pay higher for heavier lots.
A number of mart managers have noticed a bit more life for ewe lambs, stating that a few buyers have entered the trade to keep numbers constant after selling cull ewes.
Prices are trending a few euro ahead of finished lamb prices with the exception of a couple of buyers going head to head on quality types.
The trade for store lambs is holding ok, despite the ongoing challenging weather.
A high percentage of lowland lambs continue to trade from €3.40/kg to €3.60/kg, with some infrequent lots in cases rising to €3.70/kg to €3.80/kg.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, poor-quality lots are trading back to €3/kg. The trade for hill types is steady at a range of €3/kg to €3.35/kg, with poor-quality slipping below €3/kg.
Cull ewes are largely unchanged, with a price of €2/kg to €2.15/kg buying a large percentage of heavier carcase lots. There are small numbers rising to €2.20/kg and above.
Lowland ewes with an average cover of flesh are still trading from €1.60/kg to €1.90/kg, as are heavier Scottish Blackface ewes. Mixed-quality types are selling back to €1/kg.
Weather is also said to be having an effect on demand for in-lamb ewes. There are some top-quality larger-framed young ewes carrying 1.8 to two lambs selling from €270 to €330, with older and smaller-framed ewes back to €200/head.
A few mart managers said that lots presented with triplet ewes to balance or improve litter size has put some buyers off competing and are advising to batch these on their own.
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