THE relentless price rise for prime hoggets, over the past few weeks, stalled spectacularly yesterday at primestock auctions right across the UK.
Problems created by COVID –19 in the supply chain combined with the enforced shut down of restaurants and other food outlets are being blamed for the 80p per kilogram that was wiped off the value of prime hoggets. This equates to a drop of well over £30 per head on that class of livestock sold at auction yesterday.
With many other countries in Europe also going into shut down the disruption of the export market has also contributed to the fall.
Market round-up
Harrison & Hetherington Ltd sold 109 clean cattle, six cast cows, 1423 prime hoggets and 334 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.
Seventy-four prime heifers sold to a top of 245p/kg to average 222p (+12p), while 31 prime bullocks peaked at 23 and averaged 212 (+4p).
In the rough ring cast cows sold to £1,547 and 201p to average 126p (-9p).
Prime hoggets sold to £122 and 250p for Beltex cross to average 183p.
In the cast sheep ring the average was £93 (-£2) overall. Heavy ewes sold to £157 for Suffolks and averaged £117, while light ewes peaked at £131 for Cheviots and averaged £80.
The firm also sold 71 prime heifers in Carlisle yesterday to a top of 239p/kg to average 205p (-16p), while 36 prime, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 228p and levelled at 203p (+1p). Three prime, dairy-bred bullocks sold to 152p and averaged 135p (-13p).
There were a total of 132 young bulls at the sale yesterday which averaged 164p overall (-17p).
The 64 prime, beef-bred young bulls sold to 224p and averaged 181p (-7p), while 68 prime, dairy-bred bulls peaked at 182p and levelled at 148p (-22p).
In the rough ring 203 cast dairy cows sold to 150p and averaged 106p (-5p), while 87 cast beef cows peaked at 173p and averaged 131p (-11p). Two cast bulls made up to 130p and averaged 103p (-38p).
There were also 1,788 prime hoggets that sold to £151 and 312p/kg to average 235p (n/c).
In the cast sheep ring 96 heavy ewes sold to £188 for a Texel and averaged £113 (+£11), while 36 light ewes peaked at £93 for a Hill Cheviot and levelled at £67 (+£4).
Lawrie and Symington Ltd sold 158 cattle in Lanark yesterday comprising of 85 bullocks and heifers, six young bulls and 67 cast cows & bulls.
Prime heifers sold to £1,557 and 260p/kg, while bullocks sold to £1548 and 238p. Young bulls peaked at 208p. In the rough ring cast beef cows sold to £1,045 and 150p, while cast dairy cows topped at £755 and 108p.
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