The sale analysis from the recent Sheep Ireland elite multi-breed ram sale held in GVM Tullamore Mart is impressive.

A top price of €2,550 recorded on two occasions for Suffolk rams is the standout figure, but the overall performance was highly positive. The average sale figure of €853 increased by €58 on last year’s sale, while the fine clearance rate of 90% was unchanged.

The high entry criteria where all rams were rated as five-star on the terminal or replacement index, eligible for the Sheep Improvement Scheme and entered from only the most engaged performance recorded flocks was a big selling point.

The fact that the sale is the largest catalogued ram sale with 464 rams offered across 11 breeds is also a big attraction for customers to source elite rams from more than one breed.

Suffolks

With 60 Suffolk rams going through the ring, they were the third largest breed available on the day. The top price of the sale, €2,550 was obtained twice by Kells Flock of Eamonn Duffy, Co Meath, for his Suffolk ram lambs, Kells Corona sired by Kells T-Rex and Kells Charisma sired by Kilduff Bouncer. Both rams sold to pedigree breeders.

Prices ranged from €650 to €2,550 with a 100% clearance rate achieved and an average price of €1,093 was obtained.

Texels

The Texel breed had the largest number of entries with a total of 161 rams going through the ring.

With an impressive clearance rate of 95%, prices ranged from €400 to €2,300, delivering a great average price of €930.

The top price of €2,300 went to Kilduff Handyman, a March-born son of Hilltop Golden Eye. This impressive lamb was ranked in the top 1% for the terminal index and top 6% for the replacement index. Handyman went on to sell to a pedigree breeder.

Charollais

For the third year in a row, the top priced Charollais came from the Rockdale flock of David Argue, for a Hillside Big Al-sired ram lamb that sold for €1,550, also finding his new home with a pedigree breeder. With 144 rams on offer, the Charollais breed achieved an average sale price of €808, with rams ranging from €400 to €1,550 and had a very respectable clearance rate of 88%.

Belclare

The 38 Belclare rams were the first through the ring. Boasting the highest replacement €uro-Star value, the clearance rate of 82% was up on 12% on 2023. With a price range of €400 to €900, the average price was recorded at €603 a head.

Ballynulty Kingsley from Galway breeder John McTigue obtained the top price in the Belclare section on the day at €900. Kingsley was a triplet lamb and ranked in the top 11% of the replacement index and top 8% of the terminal index.

Rouge de l’Ouest

The Rouge breed had a small entry of seven rams but achieved a clearance rate of 100% with prices ranging from €500 to €1,400 and a strong average of €800.

The top-priced Rouge lot came from breeders Oliver and Claire Keaskin, Seeorum Richardo.

Richardo is ranked in the top 1% for both the terminal and replacement index within the Rouge de l’Ouest breed, and in the top 1% rank days to slaughter.

Vendéen

The Vendéen breed had 33 rams through the ring, with prices ranging from €400 to €1,050, with a respectable clearance rate of 72% and average price of €567. The top-priced Vendéen lot sold for €1,050, a ram lamb from the flock of Ciaran Coughlan. This ram was ranked in the top 2% replacement index and top 1% terminal index for the Vendéen breed.

Blue Texels

The Blue Texel breed was represented with a small entry of five rams. The small entry of five Blue Texel rams ranged from €500 to €600 with an average price of €563 and clearance of 80%.

Joint top-priced Blue Texel was Calhame Indiana Jones from William Tait and Keeltown Iam from Brendan Hanley, both hitting the €600 mark.

Hampshire Down

The Hampshire Down had 12 rams forward averaging €428. There was a clearance rate of 75% with rams ranging from €300 to €850.

Kilbarry Emanuel was the top-priced lot from breeder Edward Buckley. He was ranked in the top 2% of the replacement index and top 7% terminal index.

Bluefaced Leicester, Cheviot and Zwartbles

Each of these three breeds had just one entry on the day, but all three went on to find new homes.

The Bluefaced Leicester ram lamb from Dan and Ann O’Mahony sold for €1,150, the Cheviot hogget ram from John and Donie Foley sold for €500 and the Zwartbles ram lamb from Deirdre Heavey sold for €350.