Breeding ewe lambs and hoggets were a superb trade at the annual sale of Suffolk Cheviot-cross and continental-cross sheep at Ballymena Mart on Saturday, 3 August.
Now in its 44th year, the sale is one of the landmark breeding sheep auctions in Northern Ireland and kicks off a number of special sales that will be held by the mart over the coming weeks.
A packed ringside of buyers were in a competitive mood for quality breeding replacements, buoyed by strong returns within the fat lamb trade this year. Prices reached record levels for commercial sheep, with a big entry of 2,764 Suffolk Cheviot and Texel-cross hoggets averaging £241/head, up £53 on last year.
Topping the trade at £380 was a pen of 12 hoggets from regular exhibitor Morris Breen, Tempo, followed by multiple pens making £370 from WJ Donaghy, Ballymena and Desmond Knox, Kesh.
Over 11 hogget pens cleared £300, with other leading prices ranging from £330 to £360, while two pens made £300 each. A further six pens sold from £290 to £295, with the next four pens making £285 and a big run of hoggets making upwards of £250/head.
Ewe lambs
Red hot demand for breeding ewe lambs also resulted in record prices being paid.
Over the sale, prices averaged £149, which is a £39 increase on last year.
There was also a significant increase of £75 on the price paid for the top pen of lambs compared to last year.
Lambs topped out at £250/head for an outstanding pen of 10 Suffolk Cheviot animals from L Anderson, from Kilwaughter.
That was followed by £228 and £210 from S Hunter, Bushmills, with other leading prices seeing Suffolk Cheviot-type lambs selling from £168 to £205.
This pen of hoggets sold for £235.
The pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £260.
This pen of hoggets sold for £290.
This pen of hoggets sold for £265.
This pen of hoggets sold for £280.
This pen of hoggets sold for £265.
This pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £280.
This pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £340.
Read more
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Farmer writes: first time grazing red clover with cattle
Breeding ewe lambs and hoggets were a superb trade at the annual sale of Suffolk Cheviot-cross and continental-cross sheep at Ballymena Mart on Saturday, 3 August.
Now in its 44th year, the sale is one of the landmark breeding sheep auctions in Northern Ireland and kicks off a number of special sales that will be held by the mart over the coming weeks.
A packed ringside of buyers were in a competitive mood for quality breeding replacements, buoyed by strong returns within the fat lamb trade this year. Prices reached record levels for commercial sheep, with a big entry of 2,764 Suffolk Cheviot and Texel-cross hoggets averaging £241/head, up £53 on last year.
Topping the trade at £380 was a pen of 12 hoggets from regular exhibitor Morris Breen, Tempo, followed by multiple pens making £370 from WJ Donaghy, Ballymena and Desmond Knox, Kesh.
Over 11 hogget pens cleared £300, with other leading prices ranging from £330 to £360, while two pens made £300 each. A further six pens sold from £290 to £295, with the next four pens making £285 and a big run of hoggets making upwards of £250/head.
Ewe lambs
Red hot demand for breeding ewe lambs also resulted in record prices being paid.
Over the sale, prices averaged £149, which is a £39 increase on last year.
There was also a significant increase of £75 on the price paid for the top pen of lambs compared to last year.
Lambs topped out at £250/head for an outstanding pen of 10 Suffolk Cheviot animals from L Anderson, from Kilwaughter.
That was followed by £228 and £210 from S Hunter, Bushmills, with other leading prices seeing Suffolk Cheviot-type lambs selling from £168 to £205.
This pen of hoggets sold for £235.
The pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £260.
This pen of hoggets sold for £290.
This pen of hoggets sold for £265.
This pen of hoggets sold for £280.
This pen of hoggets sold for £265.
This pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £280.
This pen of hoggets sold for £270.
This pen of hoggets sold for £340.
Read more
Pristine Massey Ferguson 390T sells for €80,700 at auction
Farmer writes: first time grazing red clover with cattle
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