With popularity for the Cheviot breed growing rapidly in recent years, longtime breeder and founding member of the Donegal Cheviot breeders group Manus McHugh, alongside his family, have decided to take the plunge and host an online timed auction.

This sale will be a first for the McHugh family and a first for the Cheviot breed.

The McHugh family have handpicked 12 powerful in-lamb shearling ewes and six quality ewe lambs from some of the most consistent and top producing lines within the flock for this inaugural sale.

Manus said: "We would rarely sell females as good as these, but with it being a first for us and a first for the breed, we have decided to offer these special girls for sale."

Pedigree registered

All lots are pedigree registered and are performance recorded on the Sheep Ireland system.

Also, all service sires have been genotyped, meaning any lambs born from these in-lamb lots will be eligible for genotyping in the future for the Sheep Improvement Scheme.

A selection of in-lamb Cheviot shearling ewes that are entered in the upcoming McHugh Cheviots online timed auction. / Glenalla Photography

All of the in-lamb shearling ewes are vaccinated for enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis and all lots are on the Heptivac-P system.

Running on Marteye and in conjunction with Ballybofey and Stranorlar Livestock Mart, the McHugh Cheviots online timed auction will go live on Friday 28 February and close on Monday 3 March at 7pm.

The McHugh flock is fully scrapie monitored and all lots are eligible for immediate export.