Roscrea Mart’s general sheep sale on Wednesday last included a clearance sale of 180 in-lamb ewes.

The ewes on offer were a mixture of breeds, with a high percentage of Mule, Hiltex, Texel-cross and other crossbred-type sheep, along with a couple of batches of Scottish Blackface and horned sheep.

Ewes were aged from hoggets through to fourth crop and were offered in batches of hoggets or typically mixed age lots.

The lambing date in the flock starts at the end of February, with ewes in lamb to Texel, Suffolk and Charollais rams.

Many lots were offered carrying 1.5 to 1.7 lambs per ewe, with a few lots of crossbred and Scottish Blackface lots offered carrying an average of 1.3 lambs per ewe.

The best demand was for lowland-type ewes, with prices of €300 hit on three or four occasions, with the hammer falling at €335/head on a batch of nice-quality Texel-cross young sheep carrying an average of 1.5 lambs per ewe.

Lighter and small-framed crossbred and Mule-type sheep sold from €235 to €275, with weaker demand for lots including older ewes carrying triplet lambs and prices ranging from €215 to €225. A batch of Scottish Blackface ewes sold for €160/head.

Top prices

This batch of 10 Mule and crossbred medium-sized hoggets, with nine carrying twin lambs and one single, sold for €270 each.

This batch of 12 mainly Texel third-crop ewes with six carrying twin lambs and six single sold for €300 each.

These Texel-cross third-crop ewes were a mixture of two triplet-bearing ewes, four twin-bearing ewes and four single-bearing ewes sold for €300.

These mainly third- and fourth-crop Mule ewes with six carrying twins and four singles sold for €272.

Five Hiltex single-bearing ewes and two twin-bearing ewes sold for €225/head.

These young crossbred ewes, many of which lambed as yearlings and carrying nine singles and four twins, sold for €250.

Five good-quality Texel-cross young ewes carrying twin lambs and five carrying single lambs sold for €335.

Seven twin-bearing crossbred ewes and three single-bearing ewes sold for €250.

This mixed batch of fourth crop ewes including three triplet-bearing ewes, three twin-bearing ewes and two single-bearing ewes sold for €215 each.

This batch of Mule and crossbred fourth crop ewes including three triplets, two twins and two singles sold for €225 each.

Six single-bearing crossbred ewes and three twin bearing aged second and third crop sold for €232.