This week's sheep trade has seen hogget prices rise by 10-20c/kg since last Monday as the cull ewe price has remained largely steady.

Despite the most recent price lift, hogget prices remain €1.20/kg below this time last year when €9.00/kg was being quoted.

Meanwhile, ewe price remains approximately 70c/kg below this time last year at most outlets.

No outlets have put forward official spring lamb quotes to date but sources have told Agriland that this season's lambs are trading at €8.80-€9.00/kg in some cases.

Sheep trade: Factory prices

This week, Kepak is quoting €7.60/kg plus a 15c/kg Quality Assurance (QA) bonus for spring lambs, leaving €7.75/kg on offer up to 23kg carcass-weight.

The Athleague, Co. Roscommon site is quoting €4.30-€4.40/kg for cull ewes.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €7.60/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for lambs, leaving €7.80/kg on offer here up to 23kg carcass-weight.

The Navan, Co. Meath and Camolin, Co. Wexford-based outlets are quoting €4.30/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €7.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for hoggets up to 23kg carcass-weight this week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.50/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for cull ewes with carcass weights from 35-43kg.

For cull ewes from 25-35kg carcass-weight, Kildare Chilling is quoting €4.00 plus a 10c/kg QA bonus, leaving €4.10/kg on offer here.

Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow is quoting €7.80/kg for hoggets this week. The outlet is quoting €5.00/kg for cull ewes again this week.

Sheep factory kill numbers

The 2026 sheep kill-to-date is up 2% or 6,400 head on this time last year.

Just under 309,000 sheep have been slaughtered to date this year.

In the week ending Sunday, February 22, just under 41,000 head of sheep were slaughtered, which was almost 3,000 head below the same week of last year.