This week’s reduction in base quotes in factories is feeding into a stickier trade in marts.
Agents remain keen for hoggets, but are more coy in their purchasing behaviour for lambs and not willing to compete to the same level.
Prices for certain classes of lambs and hoggets are upwards of €5 to €8 easier in cases, with agents also trying to provide a cushion for further price cuts.
Demand for lambs has reduced as the week has progressed. Top prices for heavier butcher-type lambs weighing upwards of 50kg are in the region of €208 to €215/head, with select lots above this range.
Average prices for lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg range from €197 to €205, with quality having a big influence on price.
Lambs weighing around the 45kg mark are tending to range from €190 to €195, with a few euro swing in either direction depending on quality. Lighter lambs weighing around 40kg range from €170 to €180, with lambs weighing back to 38kg from €160 to €172.
Heavy hoggets weighing from 55kg upwards are trading from €210 to €216, with some breeding ewe hoggets rising to €230 and higher. Hoggets weighing 50kg range from €200 to €208, with some plainer-type lots weighing 48kg to 49kg falling back to €190/head.
Lowland store hoggets continue to sell from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with numbers significantly lower.
The cull ewe trade is solid, with good-quality fleshed lowland ewes continuing to sell from €2.70/kg to €2.90/kg, with some excellent-quality ewes rising and exceeding €3/kg.
Plainer-quality types are trading back to €2.20/kg for ewes with an average to poor cover of flesh, with few ewes below €2/kg.
Scottish Blackface ewes range anywhere from €1.50/kg to €2/kg depending on likely carcase weight, with poorer and light-carcase ewes back to €1/kg to €1.20/kg.
Ewes with lambs at foot are steady. It is impossible to put a range on price, with quality ewes and strong lambs selling upwards of €370 to €400 for twin lots and back to the mid-€200s for aged ewes and light lambs. Single-lamb lots range anywhere from €170 to in excess of €300 per outfit.
This week’s reduction in base quotes in factories is feeding into a stickier trade in marts.
Agents remain keen for hoggets, but are more coy in their purchasing behaviour for lambs and not willing to compete to the same level.
Prices for certain classes of lambs and hoggets are upwards of €5 to €8 easier in cases, with agents also trying to provide a cushion for further price cuts.
Demand for lambs has reduced as the week has progressed. Top prices for heavier butcher-type lambs weighing upwards of 50kg are in the region of €208 to €215/head, with select lots above this range.
Average prices for lambs weighing 48kg to 50kg range from €197 to €205, with quality having a big influence on price.
Lambs weighing around the 45kg mark are tending to range from €190 to €195, with a few euro swing in either direction depending on quality. Lighter lambs weighing around 40kg range from €170 to €180, with lambs weighing back to 38kg from €160 to €172.
Heavy hoggets weighing from 55kg upwards are trading from €210 to €216, with some breeding ewe hoggets rising to €230 and higher. Hoggets weighing 50kg range from €200 to €208, with some plainer-type lots weighing 48kg to 49kg falling back to €190/head.
Lowland store hoggets continue to sell from €3.70/kg to €3.85/kg, with numbers significantly lower.
The cull ewe trade is solid, with good-quality fleshed lowland ewes continuing to sell from €2.70/kg to €2.90/kg, with some excellent-quality ewes rising and exceeding €3/kg.
Plainer-quality types are trading back to €2.20/kg for ewes with an average to poor cover of flesh, with few ewes below €2/kg.
Scottish Blackface ewes range anywhere from €1.50/kg to €2/kg depending on likely carcase weight, with poorer and light-carcase ewes back to €1/kg to €1.20/kg.
Ewes with lambs at foot are steady. It is impossible to put a range on price, with quality ewes and strong lambs selling upwards of €370 to €400 for twin lots and back to the mid-€200s for aged ewes and light lambs. Single-lamb lots range anywhere from €170 to in excess of €300 per outfit.
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