On Thursday 10 November, Drumshanbo Mart, Co Leitrim, held its weekly sheep sale, with just over 1,000 head offered for sale on the day.

Speaking to mart manager Eoin Kane, he said that trade was perhaps a touch stronger this week as numbers begin their seasonal decline.

There was a decent entry of store lambs, with those weighing between 30kg and 35kg making from €75/head to €94/head or €2.55/kg to €2.70/kg for the most part and up to €2.80/kg for continental-type lambs.

This lot of 17 ewe and ram lambs averaged 38kg and sold for €95/head.

These two ewes weighed 62.5kg and sold for €72/head.

This pen of six ewe lambs weighed 31.7kg on average and sold for €66/head.

This pen of 35 ram lambs with an average weight of 31kg made €84/head.

This pen of 11 wether lambs weighing 47kg sold for €136/head.

Plainer types and hill lambs were making from €65/head to €80/head or from €2.15/kg to €2.35/kg by and large.

The throughput of these lighter-type lambs is running a little higher than in previous years, with higher feeding costs putting some farmers off keeping stock over the winter months.

There was a little more demand for shorter-keep lambs and those that were already carrying a decent level of flesh. Lambs that were handling very well were being rewarded, with a pen of 47kg wethers making €136/head.

Commenting on the ewe trade, Eoin said that demand for decent-quality hoggets remains strong, with €150/head to €180/head being achieved at the sale, while full mouth ewes suitable for breeding were still making €120/head in some cases.