Camera at the mart paid a visit to the weekly sheep sale at Kilrea Livestock Mart in Co Derry on Monday.

With no sale last week due to the July holidays, there was a good entry of sheep on offer, with several lots of top-quality lambs met with firm demand from buying agents working for a number of processors both north and south of the border.

Prices were steady given the bigger sale numbers, with top-quality lowland-type animals weighing 23kg to 24kg half-weight selling from £93 to £94 (€105 to €107).

The majority of lambs brought forward for sale weighed 21kg to 22kg half-weight, selling from £88 to £90 (€100 to €102), with Texel-cross lambs commanding higher prices over other breeds.

Suffolk lambs sold to £89 (€101) at 21kg to 21.5kg half-weight. Plainer lots were selling from £83 to £86/head (€94 to €98).

Lighter lambs weighing 20kg to 21kg half-weight sold from £80 to £82 (€91 to €93) for good-quality lowland-type lambs, while plainer types sold back to £75 (€85).

Cull ewe numbers were limited, but were a strong trade for top-quality animals carrying plenty of flesh. Prices peaked at £97, with several lots selling from £90 to £95.