Better trade for hoggets at Kington

McCartney’s of Kington reported a good entry of 1,800 sheep at today’s sale.

A reasonable entry of 1,500 hoggets were forward which sold to a brighter trade with more competition from the buyers. The trade is still hampered due to New Zealand imports and the general state of the UK and the European economies.

The export type of hogget were again in good demand particularly if the were lean and weighing between 39 and 43 kgs. Thicker set hoggetts in all weight ranges were more difficult to sell. 50kg plus hoggets were in good demand on the week selling to £72.50 a head

We had a good trade for the weight in the market and all the hoggets averaged 1.46p/kg up to 1.60p/kg.

The top price hoggets were some Suffolk x Hoggets from L J Davies which made £72.50

Hoggets between 25kg and 32kg averaged 1.30p/kg up to 1.35p/kg

Hoggets between 32kg and 39kg averaged 1.42p/kg up to 1.45p/kg

Hoggets between 39.5kg and 45.5kg averaged 1.48p/kg up to 1.60p/kg

Hoggets between 46kg and 52kg averaged 1.35p/kg up to 1.40p/kg

Hoggets over 52kg averaged 1.30p/kg up to 1.32p/kg

There was a good entry of 300 cull ewes selling to a better trade especially on the smaller hill type ewe which are currently in demand for the export market. The ewe trade is still under pressure like the hogget trade, but better demand was seen with bidding from the buyers for all types of ewes.

Meated ewes sold to premium prices. The ewes sold to a top of £89.50 for some texel ewes from E J W and M E Griffiths and all the ewes averaged £52 a head with many hill and thin ewes forward. Tups and weathers sold to a good trade and sold to £88.50 and averaged £73. The cull ewes included a large proportion of thinner mule ewes and smaller hill ewes.