Weakening Euro impacts on sheep trade

McCartney’s of Kington reported concern over the weakening Euro, with hogget trade majorly affected by the politicial and economic issues on the continent.

A total of 2,300 sheep went under the hammer yesterday (Thursday 12 May) including a smaller entry of 1,400 hoggets.  The auctioneers said there was a “fairly stable trade on the week with most vendors of hoggets coming to the end of their sheep.”

In all hoggets averaged 191p/kg up to 200p/kg with a large number weighing more than 46kg.  And some sold to £87 a head for 56kg ones from Will Luke.

Hoggets between 38kg and 43kg averaged 1.94p/kg and up to 200p/kg. And those weighing between 44kg and 48kg averaged 182p/kg and up to 196p/kg. Hoggets weighing more than 48kg met a better trade than the previous week and averaged 1.76p/kg and sold for up to 184p/kg.

There was an entry of 600 spring lambs, and McCartney’s again reported trade being affected by the weakening Euro.  The lambs averaged 2.14p/kg  and up to 2.25p/kg.

Meanwhile a total of 300 cull ewes went under the hammer, bucking the trend of the Euro crisis, and selling to a strong trade. 

A top price of £120 was achieved for some Suffolk x ewes from A Layton and all the ewes averaged an excellent £90 a head with many hill ewes forward.

Tups sold to a good trade with a top of £117 and to average £100 a head. The cull ewes included a large proportion of thinner mule ewes and smaller hill ewes.