Kenmare mart in Kerry has had an eventful two weeks. On Monday, Minister Michael Creed became the first minister for agriculture to visit the mart when he launched the new sheep scheme. The previous week also hit a milestone for the mart when throughput broke the 50,000 head barrier, finishing the year at over 51,000 sheep sold.

Manager Dan McCarthy described Monday’s sale as finishing the year on a relatively positive note. Agents were active for slaughter-fit lambs before the Christmas break, pushing prices paid for fleshed Scotch and crossbred lambs weighing 40kg upwards to €2.00/kg to €2.10 and up to €2.20/kg for small numbers of top-quality fleshed lowland lambs.

Good-quality forward stores also attracted firm competition from feeders, with 35kg to 38kg Scotch and crossbred wether lambs selling from €1.80/kg to €2.20/kg. Lighter lots lacking flesh were a more difficult sell, with lambs under 30kg selling from €1.50/kg for very light lambs weighing 24kg to 27kg to €1.80/kg for better-quality types.

Well-grown Scotch ewe lambs also sold well, with lambs weighing 36kg upwards selling from €1.80/kg to €2.15/kg for the best quality lots. Lighter lambs sold from €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg, with crossbred lambs selling 15c/kg to 20c/kg higher. Cull ewes sold from €70c/kg for lots lacking flesh to €1.00/kg to €1.20/kg for fleshed types.