The trade at last Friday’s Donegal Cheviot and Cheviot Cross Breeders Group sale held in Ballybofey and Stranorlar Mart was described as vibrant for good-quality sheep.

An entry of about 180 Cheviot hoggets were first into the ring, with top-quality lots generating intense competition.

One third of lots exceeded the €200 mark, with prices ranging in the main from €208 to €266 and hitting a top of €360/head for the first-prizewinning lot.

Medium-quality lots sold from €170 to €195, while lighter and plainer types sold back to €140 to €160.

The trade for Suffolk-Cheviot-cross hoggets was especially strong, with a run of 23 top-quality lots in the second half of the entry starting a bidding frenzy, with prices ranging from €200 to €300 and averaging €253/head in less than 15 minutes.

Diluted

The average price of €208 was diluted by light and smaller-framed hoggets requiring care before breeding, which sold from €140 to €170/head.

A small entry of over 30 Scottish Blackface-cross-Cheviot hoggets averaged €145 and ranged in the main from €135 to €170.

An entry of over 200 Cheviot ewe lambs averaged €118/head. There was a wide differential in prices paid, with top-quality lots ranging from €140 to €202, while light types sold from the low-€80s to €130.

Over 200 Suffolk-Cheviot-cross ewe lambs recorded a fine average price of €147/head. Again, prices varied, with stronger lambs selling in a steady manner from €140 to €170 and higher in isolated cases. There was just a handful of lots below this price.

Cheviot-crosses with Bluefaced breeding sold from €114 to €140, while a small entry of Cheviot- and Scottish Blackface-crosses sold from the mid-€70s to the mid-€90s, with these prices paid for lightweight lambs.

In pictures

The reserve champion hoggets were these Cheviot x Blackface cross hoggets owned by Mary Lyons with chair James Lorinyenko. The hoggets sold for €175 each.

Group chair James Lorinyenko with Tom Broe, Judge, presenting Patrick Haughey with 1st place for his pen of Blackface x Cheviot cross ewe lambs which sold for €118.

Group chair James Lorinyenko with Tom Broe, judge, presenting James Lynch with 1st place for his pen of Cheviot Mule ewe lambs which sold for €168.

Group chair James Lorinyenko with Tom Broe, judge, presenting James Lynch with 1st place for his pen of Suffolk x Cheviot ewe lambs which sold for €184.

Bobby Patterson, Smyths Feeds with Tom Broe, Judge, presenting James Lorinyenko with 1st place for his pen of Cheviot ewe lambs which sold for €180 each.

Bobby Patterson, Smyths Feeds with Tom Broe, Judge, presenting David Morrow with 1st place for his pen of Cheviot Mule hoggets which sold for €225 per head.

Overall show champions were these Suffolk x Chevoit cross hoggets owned by Manus McHugh, Dunfanaghy. He is pictured with grandsons Sean, Cathal and Michael McHugh. The hoggets sold for €220 each.