Sheep marts across the country are starting to see numbers slowly creep up, as the weather in recent weeks has done little to increase throughput at sales.
Most marts report a firm trade for sheep hogget prices up slightly and cast ewes more or less holding firm on previous weeks.
Roscommon
Roscommon Mart reported increased numbers on offer this week. Once again it said there was a strong trade for hoggets with prices improved from last week. There was also a slight increase in the trade for cast ewes.
Sample Prices
Ewe Hoggets; 48 kgs €106.50, 42.70 kgs €85, 47.70 kgs €106, 54.30 kgs €113.50
Wether Hoggets : 49.90 kgs €107.50, 55.30 kgs €114, 46 kgs €98.50, 41.70 kgs €88.50, 56 kgs €114, 52.86 kgs €107.50, 47.60 kgs €101.50.
Cast Ewes made from €69 to €97
Carnew, Wicklow
Carnew also reported bigger numbers last week with 1800 on offer at its most recent sale. The mart reported an improved selling trade with prices up by €2-€3 on last week and cast ewes up by €5
Sample prices;
Butcher & Factory €102 – €116 or 57 – 63 over the weight.
Store Lambs made €75 – €101 or 42 – 61 over the weight.
Cast Ewes made €35 – €101
In Lamb ewes made €105 – €140
Ewes with lambs at foot made €100 – €160
Mountbellew, Galway
At Saturdays sheep Sale in Mountbellew similar numbers were on offer to the previous week. The mart reported that. Stag ewes met with similar trade to previous week with good demand for heavier lots.
In terms of hoggets it reported that there was a slight improvement on previous week with firm trade for fleshier lots and quality lots of ewe hoggets. A small number of in-lamb ewes and ewes with lambs at foot met with good trade also.
Sample prices included;
Hoggets: Wether hoggets 54.5kg – €106.50, wether hoggets 55kg – €110, wether hoggets 47kg – €100, ram hoggets 44kg – €95, wether hoggets 43kg – €94, ewe hoggets 38kg – €87.
Stag ewes met with a firm trade with prices ranging from €50 to €91.
Strong farmer demand for ewes with lambs at foot and in lamb ewes. 2 second crop ewes scanned with triplets due in March made €131, ten ewes (8 twins, 2 singles) second crop due 1st March €137, one second crop ewe with single lamb at foot €164, six second crop ewes with twin lambs at foot €200.
Raphoe, Donegal
Raphoe also had a firm trade at its most recent sheep sale. On the day Store lambs made €29 to €58 over the weight. Factory lambs ranged from €40 to €62 over the weight. Butcher lambs made €40 to €65 over the weight. Fat ewes got from €56 to €88 each.
Image: O’Gorman Photography
