McCARTNEY’S of Kington report better entry of 1402 sheep on January 21.

We had an excellent trade again in all weight ranges which again would be one of the best for the week.

Less hoggets marketed during the week has helped the trade to firm coupled with a better Euro exchange which has created better demand from export buyers.

Hoggets: We had a better entry of 1300 hoggets which sold to an excellent trade with all weights in excellent demand by the buyers. The heavy hoggets over 50kg were a particularly good trade which sold up to £98 per head.

The hoggets were in demand from the export and home trade buyers, if you have hoggets ready to sell take advantage of the current trade and demand.

The hoggets averaged an excellent £1.85ppk and sold up to £1.98ppk.

All the hoggets averaged an excellent £82 per head up to £98 per head for some 54kg hoggets from SI Rogers.

Hoggets between 32.5kg and 39kg averaged 1.86ppk up to 1.88ppk.

Hoggets between 39.5kg and 45.5kg averaged 1.85ppk up to 1.97ppk.

Hoggets between 46kg and 52kg averaged 1.82ppk up to 1.85ppk.

Hoggets over 52kg averaged 1.80ppk up to 1.82ppk.

We are fortunate to have excellent buyer support from six buyers giving excellent competition for the hoggets.

Cull ewes, tups, wethers, store lambs: There was a smaller entry of 102 cull and store sheep. Less numbers of cull sheep have been marketed through out the week which has allowed buyers to use up stock numbers, this has assisted in creating better demand and a price lift towards the end of this week.

The cull trade was much firmer this week with excellent competition from the buyers on all sorts.

The ewes at Kington would be dearer than most other centres this week.

The buyers are requiring meated ewes but not fat for their orders.

Tups are still an excellent trade and have strong demand and sold up to £116 per head from SI Rogers.

The ewes sold to a top of £90.50 and averaged an excellent £73 per head which included smaller and thin hill ewes.

The cull tups sold up to £116 per head and averaged £101 per head.

Small store hoggets also sold to a strong trade and up to £66 and averaged £54 per head.

We have buyers requiring light hoggets each week to suffice their orders.

We have buyers for in excess of 3000 hoggets and 750 cull sheep per week to meet our buyers’ requirements.

McCartneys at Kington, offer an on-farm livestock grading and marketing advice service on a free of charge basis.

Kington Market is every Thursday, commencing at 11am with lambs followed by cull sheep.

For further information please contact contact Gareth Wall on 01544 230316 or 0797414336.