A market report indicates strong competition and demand, although it was noted that heavier hoggs were more challenging to sell.
Hoggs as heavy as 70kg, from M E Thomas, fetched a top price of £200, while 60kg hoggs from G Jones & Co sold for £190.
Several pens of heavy hoggs traded at prices ranging from £152 to £162, while the more selectively bred hill types varied between 300 and 315p/kg, depending on the quality of the meat.
Export-hoggs maintained a firm demand, with the better lots fetching between 350 to 360p/kg, reaching a peak at 370p/kg.
Over 600 lighter hoggs averaged approximately 339p/kg.
The cross-bred varieties sold between 340 to 360p/kg, with a high of £118 for 33kg hoggs from I & MJ Jones.
There was strong buying interest for all weights, including down to 24kg.
The average price for prime hoggs was pegged at 340p/kg, with the top price of £200 for hoggs grading 70kg.
The auctioneers mentioned some firms’ requirements for the hogs to be belly clipped, crutched and tailed.
Farmers are advised to ensure their hoggs are clean and dry before bringing them to market to avoid any charges for this service.
In the cull section, a substantial entry of 991 sheep was noted.
Texel-bred ewes peaked at £190, while the Suffolk cross-breed fetched £187.
Prices for the bigger, well-fed hill ewes went slightly down compared to the previous Friday, reflecting buyers’ concerns over potentially overweight sheep.
However, small ewes maintained their value, consistent with last month’s prices.
Several large groups of Tregaron Welsh went from £80 to £95, while the smallest and leanest hill ewes sold for £55 to £78.
Plainest hill ewes sold for between £30 to £45.
Cull rams reached a high of £189 from OM & VJ Powell, Garnwen, with other Texel and Charollais rams selling between £150 and £180.
The overall average stands at £103.16 per head.