2023 trade: What are sheep selling for in marts?

Roscommon Mart – Sheep Prices – 11-01-2023

According to a spokesperson for Roscommon Mart, its opening sheep sale of 2023 drew a “large” entry on Wednesday, January 11^th,2023.

They reported that prices for finished hoggets peaked at €142, while cast ewes soared to €168, and a special entry of in-lamb ewes ranged from €140 to €210.

Roscommon Mart 11-01-2023

• Cast ewes sold from €40 to €168 per lot;
• In-lamb ewes ranged from €140 up to €210;
• Ewe with two lambs at foot fetched up to €270;
• Ewe with one lamb at foot changed hands for up to €220.

Finished hoggets:

• 52kgs – €140;
• 50kgs – €138;
• 51kgs – €135;
• 50kgs – €134;
• 6kgs – €132.50;
• 45kgs – €122;
• 6kgs €120.

Ennis Mart

Ennis Mart’s opening sale of 2023 on Monday, January 9^th, 2023 saw some 600 lots on offer.

That is according to a spokesperson who reported that “trade more or less similar” to pre-Christmas levels.

Prices ranged from €2.65 to €2.90/kg for lambs, while ewes made from €80 to €156, or 90c/kg to €1.68/kg.

Lamb prices:

• 15 @ 56kgs – €160 – €2.86/kg;
• 12 @ 51kgs – €148 – €2.90/kg;
• 12 @ 45.5kgs – €129 – €2.83/kg;
• 15 @ 45kgs – €119 – €2.64/kg;
• 12 @ 49kgs – €129 – €2.83/kg
• 10 @ 46.5kgs – €124 – €2.66/kg;
• 11 @ 45.5kgs – €132 – €2.90/kg;
• 10 @ 50kgs – €142 – €2.84/kg.

Kilkenny Mart

According to George Candler, a slightly larger entry of some 700 lots came under the hammer at Kilkenny Mart’s sheep sale on Monday, January 9^th, 2023.

The mart’s auctioneer reported that trade was back €4-€7/head at this week’s sheep sale.

Candler commented that “the fact that factory quotes are in the €6.00-€6.20/kg bracket is not encouraging for those who bought stores”.

He remarked that “sheep prices were disappointing, especially if you take into account the price of store lambs and the increase in feed costs.”

Candler stated that “it is difficult to see any dramatic lift in prices going forward in the next few weeks”.

Prices:

• Butcher lambs – €2.60-€2.85/kg or €134-€156/head;
• Factory lambs – €2.75-€2.87/kg or €118-€135/head;
• Store lambs – €2.60-€2.82/kg or €75-€110/head;
• Cast ewes – €75-€164/head.