Kington Market, April 7

Hoggets: We had a very mixed entry of 1098 hogget's which sold to an easier trade than the previous on week.

The buyers are reporting less demand from there customers this week and this has resulted in the lower trade. Meat is extremely important to the buyers and hoggs which did not meet the grade were very much disadvantaged in price compared to well meated hoggs. It is well worth while selecting the right stock to sell to obtain premium prices and give other stock more time to finish to meet the buyers requirements.

The well meated hoggs were well competed for and sold to good prices on the week.

Farm assurance is also becoming more of an issue and hogget's which are farm assured are receiving premiums over the non assured hogget's.

The hogget's averaged an £1.85ppk and sold up to £1.95ppk for some 45.00kg hogget's from AE Jones and Sons.

All the hoggets averaged £80 per head up to £90 per head for some 55kg hogget's from MJ Price.

Hogget's between 32.5kg to 39kg averaged 1.77ppk up to 1.82ppk.

Hogget's between 39.1kg to 45.5kg averaged 1.85ppk up to 1.95ppk.

Hogget's between 45.6kg to 52kg averaged 1.78ppk up to 1.90ppk.

Hogget's over 52kg averaged 1.58ppk up to 1.65ppk.

We had an entry of leaner and heavy hogget's which affected the trade. There is also a large number of heavier hogget's on the market which is also affecting the trade over the past week.

We are fortunate to have excellent buyer support from 6 buyers giving excellent competition for the hoggets.

Cull ewes, tups, wethers, store lambs: There was a good entry of cull and store sheep with a larger number of thinner and hill breeds in the entry this week, which sold to a good trade again which would be slightly lower than last week due to much larger numbers being marketed over the past week.

The cull sheep were in demand by the buyers for all sorts fat and thin.

The cull sheep sold to a top of £118 per head for some Texel cross ewes from DT and SM Owens and averaged a good £74 per head.

Continental ewes averaged £110 per head and sold up to £118 per head.

Mule types ewes averaged £72 per head and sold up to £88 per head.

Welsh, Speckle and smaller hill type ewes averaged £56 per head and sold up to £64 per head.

Tups averaged an excellent £105 per head and sold up to £115 per head.

Small Store hoggets averaged £63 per head up to £66 per head.

Light lambs under 32kg averages 1.85ppk.

Hogget's with teeth up averaged £65 per head up to £70 per head.

We have buyers requiring store hoggets and 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 Hoggets followed by Cull sheep.

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