There is plenty of life in the live trade this week, with a reduction in hogget entries adding more competition.
Mart managers report a higher percentage of well-fleshed hoggets weighing in excess of 52kg exceeding the €180 mark, with lots weighing from 52kg to 55kg ranging on average from €180 to €185.
Heavier and excellent-quality lots are topping this range and selling in cases to €187 to €190/head.
A few sales reported prices for heavy hoggets weighing up to 60kg and attracting wholesale or butcher buyer attention rising as high as €190 to €195.
Numbers trading at this level are small, but it demonstrates the tighter supplies in the market and appetite of agents to get their hands on numbers.
Lesser-quality hoggets weighing from 50kg to 52kg are selling in cases back to the mid-€170s.
Entries of store hoggets have also reduced and with a sharper bite for finished sheep, there is also much more interest in store types. Mart managers reports prices increasing anywhere from 10c/kg to 20c/kg.
This is particularly true of hoggets weighing in the mid-40kg range with a nice cover of flesh, with agents willing to drop down in weight.
This has left hoggets ranging in price from €3.55/kg to €3.80/kg with the best-quality lots rising to €4/kg.
Prices paid for hill lambs has also firmed, with the general run 15c/kg to 20c/kg stronger and ranging from €3.15/kg to €3.45/kg in the main, but rising in cases to €3.60/kg.
The cull ewe trade is solid, with fleshed crossbred ewes selling from €2/kg to €2.15/kg on average, while lowland types are selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg in the main and increasing to as high as €2.50/kg.
There are very few ewes with a good cover of flesh selling below the €2/kg mark, with good hill ewes weighing 55kg to 60kg-plus selling from €1.60/kg to €2/kg.
Light ewes are trading from €1.30/kg to €1.60/kg depending on condition.
In-lamb ewes are selling from €230 to €280 for older large-framed ewes, with hoggets carrying 1.7 to two lambs per ewe anywhere from €250 to €330 to €350 for large-framed top-quality lots.
There is plenty of life in the live trade this week, with a reduction in hogget entries adding more competition.
Mart managers report a higher percentage of well-fleshed hoggets weighing in excess of 52kg exceeding the €180 mark, with lots weighing from 52kg to 55kg ranging on average from €180 to €185.
Heavier and excellent-quality lots are topping this range and selling in cases to €187 to €190/head.
A few sales reported prices for heavy hoggets weighing up to 60kg and attracting wholesale or butcher buyer attention rising as high as €190 to €195.
Numbers trading at this level are small, but it demonstrates the tighter supplies in the market and appetite of agents to get their hands on numbers.
Lesser-quality hoggets weighing from 50kg to 52kg are selling in cases back to the mid-€170s.
Entries of store hoggets have also reduced and with a sharper bite for finished sheep, there is also much more interest in store types. Mart managers reports prices increasing anywhere from 10c/kg to 20c/kg.
This is particularly true of hoggets weighing in the mid-40kg range with a nice cover of flesh, with agents willing to drop down in weight.
This has left hoggets ranging in price from €3.55/kg to €3.80/kg with the best-quality lots rising to €4/kg.
Prices paid for hill lambs has also firmed, with the general run 15c/kg to 20c/kg stronger and ranging from €3.15/kg to €3.45/kg in the main, but rising in cases to €3.60/kg.
The cull ewe trade is solid, with fleshed crossbred ewes selling from €2/kg to €2.15/kg on average, while lowland types are selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg in the main and increasing to as high as €2.50/kg.
There are very few ewes with a good cover of flesh selling below the €2/kg mark, with good hill ewes weighing 55kg to 60kg-plus selling from €1.60/kg to €2/kg.
Light ewes are trading from €1.30/kg to €1.60/kg depending on condition.
In-lamb ewes are selling from €230 to €280 for older large-framed ewes, with hoggets carrying 1.7 to two lambs per ewe anywhere from €250 to €330 to €350 for large-framed top-quality lots.
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