The trade at the Southeast Mule Breeders Group annual sale of ewe lambs, hoggets and ewes was described by Tullow Mart manager Eric Driver as vibrant with demand exceeding supply.

An entry of almost 600 ewe lambs dominated the sale offering.

Prices averaged at €126 per head, and ranged from €92 all the way to a top price of €195, paid for a pen of strong, prize-winning ewe lambs.

A dozen lots exceeded the €150 per head mark, while over 50% of lots ranged in price from €115 to €150.

A selection of lighter ewe lambs with good breeding potential sold from €100 to €110, with a handful of batches selling below €100 per head and back to €92.

Appetite for hoggets

The strong appetite for hoggets, with demand exceeding supply, witnessed the entry of over 220 hoggets selling in brisk fashion. The average price was recorded at €214 per head.

Nice quality hoggets sold in the main from €190 to €235, with several lots of excellent quality hoggets rising to a top price of €258. A small number of light, smaller framed hoggets sold from €152 to €170 per head.

There was also a small entry of full and broken mouth ewes, and these sold in the main from €80 to €120, with a firm appetite evident despite the age of ewes.