This week’s hogget quotes are largely unchanged with opening prices for quality assured (QA) hoggets in the region of €9/kg. The two Irish Country Meats plants continue to quote a base of €8.80/kg plus 20c/kg QA payment, with Ballon Meats opening negotiations on a similar footing.

Groups and regular sellers are receiving returns for R grade lambs in the region of €9.10/kg, with some deals also part or fully covering transport costs.

Prices for U grading lambs and for lambs traded in large batches by regular sellers are rising to €9.15/kg to €9.20/kg. There are reports of 5c/kg to 10c/kg higher being paid at the top end of the market but to date numbers moving at this level are relatively low.

Certified organic hoggets are this week trading in the region of €9.80/kg and are knocking on the door of €10/kg. Numbers in the system are reported as low.

The trade has regained much of the price reduction experienced in recent weeks, where quotes for QA hoggets were falling by 50c/kg from their peak of €9.20/kg in mid-January.

Demand has improved since then and is being boosted at present by the upcoming Islamic religious festival of Ramadan which starts on the evening of Friday 28 February / Saturday 1 March.

The higher prices on offer in the last week have attracted more hoggets on to the market with last week’s kill figure increasing by just shy of 4,000hd and recorded at 39,789 sheep. This remains well below normal levels seen in recent years and is 6,632 head lower than the corresponding week in 2024.

There is more bite in the ewe trade, and agents purchasing ewes for exporting live or in carcase form are exhibiting a greater appetite in live sales.

Quotes in the majority of plants are starting in the region of €5/kg for good-quality ewes, with Ballon Meats 20c/kg higher at €5.20/kg. Reports indicate such a price is negotiable for significant numbers in most outlets with top prices rising 20c/kg to 30c/kg higher in plants / abattoirs specialising in the ewe trade.

Ramadan is also boosting demand for stock rams with agents particularly active in mart sales for fleshed rams, which provides a good outlet for culls.

Northern trade

Quotes in Northern Ireland factories for Thursday have reduced by just 5p/kg and stand at £7.05/kg or the equivalent of €8.51/kg at Wednesday afternoon’s stronger sterling to euro exchange rate of 82.8p.

Factories continue to lose sheep to agents purchasing sheep for direct slaughter. This is reflected in the number of sheep exported for direct slaughter in Ireland increasing by almost 1,000hd to 6,942.

Reports indicate there was also higher numbers exported to Britain and further afield. Agents are having to pay 10p/kg to 20p/kg above quotes to regular sellers to secure sales.