Connemara Mayo Blackface Breeders Group spring sale tops at €320

The Connemara Mayo Blackface Breeders Group held its annual spring sale recently in Burke’s Livestock Mart, Maam Cross.

This highly anticipated event showcased the very best of Connemara Mayo Blackface in-lamb and lambed ewes, as well as top-quality hoggets.

Breeders from across the west of Ireland - including Connemara, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal - gathered to exhibit their best breeding sheep, highlighting the ever-growing standards of the breed.

Organic ewes and hoggets were in strong demand, demonstrating the growing interest in the sector.

There were two categories in the pre-sale show, one for hogget ewes and the other for in-lamb ewes. The strong classes were judged by Pádraig and Karl Devaney from Sligo.

In-lamb ewes

The sale was topped by the second-prizewinning pen of ewes from Raymand Sleatar, Sligo. These in-lamb ewes were scanned carrying singles and sold for €320/head.

Taking the first-place position in the ewe section was a great pen of ewes from Martin Calvey, Achill. These prizewinning ewes were scanned carrying twins and sold for €266/head.

The third-placed ewes came from Galway man Padraig Kerrigan's consignment. They were certified organic and they sold for €175/ head. These organic ewes were also scanned carrying twins.

It was a pen of first-crop ewes from Alan Duffy, Co Mayo, that took fourth place in the large class. These young ewes were scanned carrying twins and they sold for €160/head.

Hogget ewes

Topping the hogget ewe section selling for €244/head was a standout pen of quality hoggets from John Walsh, Clonbur, Co Mayo.

Walsh also won first place in the section with another pen of hoggets. These prizewinning hoggets sold for €200/head.

Also selling for €200/head was the third-prizewinning pen of hoggets from Padraig Kerrigan, Gleantrague, Co Galway. These high-quality hoggets were also certified organic.

The next-highest price in the hogget section was obtained by a pen of strong hoggets from Brendan Joyce, Recess, Co Galway, that sold for €175/head.

Brendan Joyce, a member of the organising committee, commented: “It’s encouraging to see so many farmers, both local and from across the country, returning to buy our sheep.

"This highlights the versatility of the Connemara Mayo Blackface ewe - not just for survival in the rugged landscapes of the western seaboard, but also for producing high-quality crossbred progeny that serve as strong foundation stock for lowland enterprises.”

Ewe class winners

Hogget class winners