Last week’s reduction in factory prices has led to a stickier trade in marts.

Mountbellew Mart’s sheep sale on Saturday had a similar atmosphere and was the first week since mid-January where price momentum stalled.

This pen of heavy lambs weighing 57kg and possessing an average cover of flesh sold for €115 (€2.02/kg).

Factory lambs weighing 48kg upwards sold on average from €108 to €117, with a few lots of ewe lambs rising to €120 to €122 but returning home unsold.

Farmers with these lambs were holding out for higher and willing to show again at a later date, with one pen of Suffolk lambs generating stronger interest from farmers and securing the top price for lambs of €125.

These six Texel-cross ewe lambs weighing 48.2kg sold for €109 (€2.26/kg).

It was clear that factory agents wanted sheep, but their price limit was curtailed.

Agents were dropping down in the weight to secure supplies, with fleshed lambs weighing 44kg to 47kg selling from €102 to €105, while similar-weight lots requiring feeding sold back to €95 per head.

This pen of mixed-breed fleshed wether and ewe lambs weighing 45kg sold for €105 (€2.33/kg).

There was a solid trade for cull ewes, with fleshed lots selling from €80 to €95 for medium-sized ewes, while large-framed ewes sold upwards of €105 with a top price of €112. There is firm demand for ewes and lambs at foot, but numbers are small so far, with a few lots of twin lamb units selling to €220.

This pen of Border Leicester-cross ewe lambs weighing 43.4kg sold for €96 (€2.22/kg).

Commission rates are €2 to the seller and €1.44 to the buyer.

The aged Charollais ram (left) with a good cover of flesh sold for €140. The good-quality cull ewes to the right sold for €105.

The eight 50kg lambs on left sold for €114 (€2.28/kg), with the six 51.4kg lambs on right also selling for €114 (€2.22/kg).

These six Texel ram lambs weighing 46.1kg sold for €103 (€2.23/kg).

Two heavily fleshed crossbred ewes sold for €112, while an aged Texel ram lacking flesh sold for €100.

This pen of cull ewes with a good cover of flesh sold for €105.

This pen of good-quality fleshed Charollais lambs weighing 44.2kg sold for €105 (€2.38/kg).