The Tullow Sheep Breeders Association premier sale was held on Wednesday 7 August, with mart manager Eric Driver summing up the day as being “tremendous in terms of interest around the ring, strong prices being maintained and quality of the stock on sale”.

Prices were up by €15 to €20/head to €180 to €200 for light ewe lambs at 35kg to 38kg.

Heavier lambs fetched up to €230 on the day. The champion lamb sold for €250, while the reserve hit €275.

He noted that numbers of sheep were up as they had nearly 300 more hoggets this year – 30 more pens – compared to last year.

Full clearance

Driver highlighted that there is a good, honest trade for those ewe lambs and overall, there was full clearance.

He believes that the increase in quality and price of the sheep is down to farmers making the most of the sheep schemes available, which optimises their flock’s performance.

These ewe lambs, weighing 50kg, sold for €210/head.

These Suffolk cross ewe lambs, which weighed 45kg, sold for €188 a piece in Tullow.

This group of ewe lambs weighing 46kg sold for €190/head in Tullow Mart.

This pen of hoggets sold for €295 a piece.

These hoggets sold for €305/head on Wednesday.