There was a slightly smaller entry in Brockagh Cloghan Co-operative Mart for the weekly sheep sale, with 954 sheep.

However, with the price of sheep rising week on week, demand was stronger for these lots than the previous weeks.

This demand was driven by an extremely high level of online and local ringside bidders.

This flurry of bidding led to a 100% clearance rate for lambs, cull ewes and breeding ewes. There were just three breeding rams unsold on the night.

With the mart in the centre of the hill farming community in Donegal, a large quantity of the sheep present were hill breeds or hill-crosses.

There was an extremely high demand for Mayo-type ewe lambs, with many of these lots breaching €4.40/kg, with a high of €4.60/kg achieved.

These was major demand for all types of ewe lambs weighing from 22kg to 35kg with prices ranging from €3.20/kg to €4.40/kg.

The most in-demand ram lambs were those weighing from 25kg to 35kg. These sold from €3/kg to €3.90/kg, depending on breed and body condition score.

Heavier ram lambs weighing from 40kg to 55kg sold from €3.50/kg to €5/kg, also depending on breed and score.

There was a slightly smaller number of breeding ewes present than previous weeks, with prices remaining strong. The top price achieved here was €170 for a pen of full-mouthed Perth-type horned ewes.

The breeding rams were last into the ring in Brockagh, with a strong crowd of buyers remaining.

The top-priced ram on the night was a powerful SIS-eligible Perth ram that sold for €640. The general run of rams sold from €230 to €510.

Brockagh Cloghan Mart managers Eugene Harkin and Paul McCool commented: “Sale prices and clearance rates have remained very high throughout 2024, with a continued strong presence from online and ringside buyers from both the local area and midland counties.”

They also expressed their positivity on “the strong demand for hill reared sheep giving a great outlook for the hill sheep sector’s future”.