There has been a low number of sheep sales held to date in 2022, with some marts that hold sales at the start of the week delaying their opening sale until next week.

Of those that have resumed, reports have been variable and, in general, have been more positive as the week has progressed.

Prices paid for heavy hoggets have been influenced by butcher and wholesale buyer activity.

Some sales have reported prices for heavy hoggets topping out at €163 to €168, while others recorded top prices of €170 to €172.

The trade for factory-type hoggets weighing upwards of 50kg ranged from €155 to €165 in the main. Lighter types weighing from 47kg to 49kg are ranging on average from €150 to €160/head.

The trade for store lambs is steady, with prices for shorter-keep stores weighing 42kg to 44kg ranging from €120 to €140 or slightly higher for excellent-quality lots.

The ewe trade is solid, with heavy ewes weighing upwards of 95kg starting the new year strongly and trading from €145 to €175

The trade for lighter lowland lambs remains in the region of €2.90/kg to €3.10/kg, with light hill and crossbred lambs ranging anywhere from €2.20/kg to €2.70/kg, depending on quality.

The ewe trade is solid, with heavy ewes weighing upwards of 95kg starting the new year strongly and trading from €145 to €175. Medium-weight ewes weighing in the region of 80kg are selling from the low-€100s for average-quality lots to €115 to €135 for well-fleshed lots.

There has been a couple of significant sales of in-lamb ewes held this week. Tullow Mart’s weekly sheep sale on Tuesday included a sale of hogget ewes and a sale of mainly second- and third-crop ewes.

There was also the first part of a dispersal sale of 250 three- and four-year-old excellent-quality Suffolk Cheviot, Cheviot and Mule ewes in Enniskillen Mart on Tuesday night

The hogget ewes were medium-sized Suffolk, Suffolk-cross and Mule types carrying 1.7 lambs and lambing in March. These averaged around the €200/head mark. The sale of mature ewes included large-frame Suffolk-cross-Cheviot ewes with a great scanning rate of 1.9 lambs per ewe. These sold in the main from €200 to €220.

There was also the first part of a dispersal sale of 250 three- and four-year-old excellent-quality Suffolk Cheviot, Cheviot and Mule ewes in Enniskillen Mart on Tuesday night.

Scanned carrying 2.1 lambs per ewe and lambing at the end of February, the ewes met a brisk trade, with the hammer falling for the majority of lots between £200 (€238) and £300 (€358) per head.