The sheep trade has started the week in a similar manner as last week. Agents are keen for hoggets ahead of the start of the Islamic religious festival of Ramadan, which begins on Friday, but are not open to increasing prices paid.
The sheep trade has started the week in a similar manner as last week.
Agents are keen for hoggets ahead of the start of the Islamic religious festival of Ramadan, which begins on Friday, but are not open to increasing prices paid.
Opening prices for quality assured (QA) hoggets are in the region of €9/kg in most plants.
Regular sellers and producer groups are typically trading from €9.10\kg upwards, with U grades and prices paid for large consignments hitting €9.20/kg.
Reports indicate factory agents have got into more sheep in recent days and this is providing them with more power in negotiations.
As such, reports of prices in excess of €9.20\kg have been harder to come by.
Mart trade
The mart trade is also unchanged in recent days. Heavier hoggets weighing 52kg to 55kg-plus are trading from €205 to €215 on average, with increased-quality lots and heavier types rising to €220. There are few sheep exceeding this mark.
Hoggets weighing around 50kg are trading from €195 to €205, with potential slaughter performance dictating prices paid.
Ewe trade
The cull ewe trade is unchanged, with all plants operating from an opening price of €5/kg and willing to pay 10c/kg higher for significant numbers of good-quality ewes, while buyers purchasing ewes for niche market demand are paying upwards of €5.20\kg.
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