Hogget ewes were a steady trade at the 60th anniversary Borris Ewe Breeders show and sale in Carlow on Saturday.

The first-prizewinners bred by Donal O’Brien made €300/head, down slightly from the €315/head paid for the equivalent pen in 2022.

There was a strong attendance from buyers at the 60th anniversary Borris Ewe Breeders show and sale.

Hogget ewe prices averaged between €210 and €220 generally, with plainer lots closer to €190/head and better quality reaching €280/head.

The famous Cheviot-cross-Suffolk breeding ewe drew buyers from all over, with several farmers from Northern Ireland down to fill loads.

These top prizewinning hogget ewes made €300/head and were bred by Donal O'Brien.

Several pens on the trot made €200 to €205/head, with value to be had towards the end of the sale.

Some lighter hogget ewes which would require a good flush of grass to be ready for the ram went unsold at €180 to €190/head.

These fifth-prizewinning hogget ewes made €285/head.

The top-prizewinning hogget ewe pens at the show and sale were:

  • 1st Donal O’Brien, Aclare, Co Carlow.
  • 2nd Seamus Kelly, Ballytiglea, Borris, Co Carlow.
  • 3rd Bridget McCarthy, Knocksquire, Borris, Co Carlow.
  • 4th Pat Farrell, Kiltealy, Co Carlow.
  • 5th Tomás McCarthy, Knocksquire, Borris, Co Carlow.

    • These whiter Cheviot-cross-Suffolk hogget ewes sold for €205/head.

    Ewe lambs

    While there was also a steady trade for quality and heavier ewe lambs, a number of lighter lots struggled to find bidders.

    Some farmers present suggested the poor summer and high cost of meal as reasons why there were a number of ewe lamb lots weighing closer to 30kg than 40kg.

    These second-prizewinning hogget ewes sold for €275/head.

    That said, the best of the ewe lambs went for €280/head, while the majority made between €160 and €180/head.

    The top prizewinning ewe lamb pens at the show and sale were:

  • 1st Tomás McCarthy, Knocksquire, Borris, Co Carlow.
  • 2nd Bill Roberts, Glasslacken, Bunclody, Co Wexford.
  • 3rd Terence O’Neill, Rathgeran, St Mullins, Co Carlow.
  • 4th John Furlong, Coppenagh, Co Carlow.
  • 5th Cormac Morrissey, Rathnure, Co Wexford.

    • These 38kg ewe lambs made €165/head in Borris.

    These hogget ewes sold for €220/head in Borris.