Sheep mart prices: trade for hoggets more subdued this week

The trade for hoggets has been more sluggish in a high percentage of marts this week.

Factory agents have been more coy in their purchasing behaviour and more careful not to get caught up in a bidding war. Many mart managers report a steadying in the trade, with some reporting prices easing by €2 to €3/head.

The majority of hoggets weighing 52kg to 55kg are trading from €205 to €212. There are select lots rising to €215, but prices above this have been much harder to come by.

There is also a clear sign that agents are less active for very heavy hoggets, with such types falling back to similar prices as lighter lots.

Hoggets weighing 49kg to 50kg are in turn averaging from €195 to €205, with some plain-quality types lacking flesh below this range and likewise select lots of excellent-quality lots selling higher.

While the appetite for heavier hoggets has cooled somewhat, agents remain keen for fleshed lighter hoggets, which feeds into factory signals of a sharper appetite for lighter sheep.

Fleshed types weighing 45kg to 46kg are in the main topping the €4/kg mark, with top prices rising to €4.10/kg and higher, while plainer-quality types are falling back to €3.85/kg to €3.90/kg.

The trade for store hoggets has been reported by some mart managers as more subdued, with prices for quality lowland stores ranging from €3.80/kg to €4/kg.

Poor-quality hoggets and those that will require a longer finishing period are selling from €3.40/kg to €3.65/kg, with some hill types selling back to €3/kg to €3.20/kg.

In contrast, the cull ewe trade remains solid, with demand outstripping supply, particularly for ewes capable of delivering a high-quality carcase.

Such ewes and younger types are attracting a premium on price and selling from €2.50/kg to €2.80/kg. Crossbred and plainer-quality types are selling from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg with very few ewes with any decent cover of flesh falling back under €2/kg.

Lowland ewes with a lesser cover of flesh and heavier hill ewes are trading from €1.60/kg to €1.90/kg with light hill ewes back to €1/kg to €1.30/kg.