Over 1,200 sheep were offered for sale at the sheep sale in Carndonagh Mart on Saturday, with solid demand throughout the day.

Mart manager Harry Molloy said buyer demand was greatest for good-quality forward store lambs and fleshed cull ewes.

A few pens of heavy butcher-type lambs weighing 50kg sold from €102 to €108, with fat lambs weighing 45kg to 47kg selling from €94 to €97.

There was a big show of store lambs, with plenty of competition between specialist finishers and farmers looking to utilise grass on farm. Top-quality Texel and Suffolk-cross lambs weighing 38kg to 40kg sold from €81 to €86, with plainer lots selling from €76 to €78.

Lambs weighing 34kg to 37kg were a solid trade, with prices ranging from €72 to €75 at the top of the market and plainer lots selling from €67 to €70.

There was a small show of lighter stores around 30kg selling from €55 to €62, depending on quality.

Cull ewes were in demand. Heavy fleshed ewes weighing 80kg to 90kg generally sold from €100 to €110 and peaking at €120.

There was a small entry of breeding hoggets on offer and quality was good. Prices ranged from €155 for plainer lots, increasing to €175 at the top of the market.