There is a confirmed entry of 1,500 hoggets and 1,000 ewe lambs at next Wednesday’s premier Tullow Sheep Breeders Association sale in Tullow Mart.

The general entry for the first sale date in recent years has ranged between 2,000 and 2,200 head.

The driver behind increased numbers is a higher number of hoggets. Mart manager Eric Driver commented that many vendors are returning with hoggets purchased as ewe lambs in 2018.

Commenting on prospects for the trade, Eric says interest levels are on a par if not stronger than recent years.

Advantage

He says the strong cull ewe trade over the last few months has encouraged farmers to take advantage of a lower replacement rate and draft any problem ewes.

The sale commences at 11.30am for ewe lambs while hoggets will start at 1pm. Follow the Irish Farmers Journal social media channels for updates and www.farmersjournal.ie for a full sales report.