The fifth annual sale of the Mule Lanark sheep breeding group in Tuam Mart, Co Galway, on Friday last recorded a vibrant trade.

Almost 600 hoggets recorded an average price of €255/head, while over 1,000 ewe lambs sold briskly to an average price of €152.50/head.

The impressive average price for ewe lambs was attained with an average weight of 37kg.

A selection of heavier lambs weighing 43kg to 48kg sold from €165 to €220, with the first-prizewinning pen of ewe lambs, which were also the heaviest at 47.8kg, hitting €280 each.

Lambs weighing 39kg to 42kg sold from €155 to €170 with lots weighing 34kg to 36kg selling from €125 to €155 and from €120 to €135 for lambs weighing 27kg to 32kg.

A dozen of the 55 lots of hoggets on offer sold from €280 to a top of €335/head, with almost 50% of lots from €240 to €275.

Some lighter but still good-quality hoggets requiring feeding sold from €200 to €235, while a handful of light and smaller-framed hoggets sold from €150 to €185.

The sale attracted a bumper crowd ringside, with demand outstripping supplies and holding true for all types. Sellers were satisfied with the trade, with a clearance rate of upwards of 95% achieved.

In pictures

These nice-quality but more crossbred type Mule ewe hoggets sold for €250 each.

These black-headed Mule ewe lambs weighing 44kg sold for €255 each (€5.80/kg).

This batch of top-quality ewe lambs weighing 43.5kg sold for €200 each.

These large-framed quality Mule ewe hoggets sold for €300 each.

These blacker-headed Mule ewe hoggets sold for €265 each.

Weighing 44kg, these Mule ewe lambs sold for €175 each (€3.98/kg).

This batch of 10 ewe lambs weighing 40.3kg sold for €150 each (€3.72/kg).