Sale entries have reduced significantly in Manorhamilton Mart after a busy autumn period where peak throughput was recorded on numerous weeks in the region of 3,000 to 4,000 head and higher.
Last week’s entry was in the region of 1,400 head, with the recent tightening in numbers and solid demand inserting much more competition into the trade.
There is a significant variation in sheep systems in the surrounding hinterland and this gives rise to a diverse mix of stock from Scottish Blackface and other breeds of hill sheep to lowland types.
Fleshed lowland lambs weighing upwards of 48kg sold on average from €120 to €125, with a selection of lambs weighing up to 55kg selling to €128 to €130.
Lowland lambs
Fleshed lowland lambs weighing 44kg to 47kg sold from €108 to €117 per head, with fleshed crossbred and hill lambs selling €5 to €10 below equivalent-weight lowland lambs.
Store lambs weighing 35kg to 38kg sold from the low €90s to as high as €105 to €107 for good tight-woolled lambs or ewe lambs, with Scotch and crossbred types selling from the mid-€70s to the mid-€80s on average.
Light Scottish Blackface lambs weighing 23kg to 27kg sold from €55 to €70, with nice-quality ewe lambs at the higher end of the price range.
Heavier hill-bred lambs weighing 30kg to 33kg sold from €65 to €77 on average.
In-lamb ewes
There was solid demand for a small entry of in-lamb ewes. Good-quality third- and fourth-crop lowland ewes lambing from 15 January and scanned carrying 1.4 to 1.5 lambs sold from €184 to €195, while similar-quality ewes carrying single lambs sold for in the region of €175 per head.
Some small-framed lowland-cross and good hill ewes ranging from first to third crop and presented as running with the ram and lambing from 1 March onwards sold from €130 to €140 on average.
This pen of mixed breed fleshed lambs weighing 42.6kg sold for €113 (€2.65/kg).
Four crossbred ewes weighing 69kg sold for €83.
Two Suffolk ewe lambs weighing 51kg sold for €123 (€2.41/kg).
These 42kg Suffolk cross ewe lambs sold for €106 (€2.52/kg).
This light crossbred ewe hogget weighing 40kg sold for €70.
These five crossbred ewe lambs weighing 36kg sold for €89 (€2.47/kg).
Two Texel cross and one Scottish Blackface wether hoggets weighing 60.6kg sold for €101 (€1.67/kg).
This light-framed average-quality Cheviot ram weighing 48kg sold for €79 (€1.65/kg).
Three large-framed Zwartble cross ewes weighing 90kg with one carrying twin lambs and two carrying single lambs sold for €190.
Two Zwartble cross ewes carrying twin lambs and two carrying single lambs with an average weight of 78.5kg sold for €184.
Read more
‘Dog attacks can lead to devastation for farmers’
Sheep trends: solid trade with prices steadying
Sale entries have reduced significantly in Manorhamilton Mart after a busy autumn period where peak throughput was recorded on numerous weeks in the region of 3,000 to 4,000 head and higher.
Last week’s entry was in the region of 1,400 head, with the recent tightening in numbers and solid demand inserting much more competition into the trade.
There is a significant variation in sheep systems in the surrounding hinterland and this gives rise to a diverse mix of stock from Scottish Blackface and other breeds of hill sheep to lowland types.
Fleshed lowland lambs weighing upwards of 48kg sold on average from €120 to €125, with a selection of lambs weighing up to 55kg selling to €128 to €130.
Lowland lambs
Fleshed lowland lambs weighing 44kg to 47kg sold from €108 to €117 per head, with fleshed crossbred and hill lambs selling €5 to €10 below equivalent-weight lowland lambs.
Store lambs weighing 35kg to 38kg sold from the low €90s to as high as €105 to €107 for good tight-woolled lambs or ewe lambs, with Scotch and crossbred types selling from the mid-€70s to the mid-€80s on average.
Light Scottish Blackface lambs weighing 23kg to 27kg sold from €55 to €70, with nice-quality ewe lambs at the higher end of the price range.
Heavier hill-bred lambs weighing 30kg to 33kg sold from €65 to €77 on average.
In-lamb ewes
There was solid demand for a small entry of in-lamb ewes. Good-quality third- and fourth-crop lowland ewes lambing from 15 January and scanned carrying 1.4 to 1.5 lambs sold from €184 to €195, while similar-quality ewes carrying single lambs sold for in the region of €175 per head.
Some small-framed lowland-cross and good hill ewes ranging from first to third crop and presented as running with the ram and lambing from 1 March onwards sold from €130 to €140 on average.
This pen of mixed breed fleshed lambs weighing 42.6kg sold for €113 (€2.65/kg).
Four crossbred ewes weighing 69kg sold for €83.
Two Suffolk ewe lambs weighing 51kg sold for €123 (€2.41/kg).
These 42kg Suffolk cross ewe lambs sold for €106 (€2.52/kg).
This light crossbred ewe hogget weighing 40kg sold for €70.
These five crossbred ewe lambs weighing 36kg sold for €89 (€2.47/kg).
Two Texel cross and one Scottish Blackface wether hoggets weighing 60.6kg sold for €101 (€1.67/kg).
This light-framed average-quality Cheviot ram weighing 48kg sold for €79 (€1.65/kg).
Three large-framed Zwartble cross ewes weighing 90kg with one carrying twin lambs and two carrying single lambs sold for €190.
Two Zwartble cross ewes carrying twin lambs and two carrying single lambs with an average weight of 78.5kg sold for €184.
Read more
‘Dog attacks can lead to devastation for farmers’
Sheep trends: solid trade with prices steadying
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