There was an exceptionally strong trade for hoggets at the annual sale of Mule and Greyface sheep in Ballymena Livestock Mart on Saturday.

Over 2,900 hoggets sold to an average price of £328, which is up £55 on the same sale last year. A look through historic prices shows it has taken just four years for the average price to more than double. Back in 2022, hoggets averaged £163 at the annual auction.

At last Saturday’s sale, reports suggest the trade was driven by a single buyer from Co Donegal who bought a large proportion of the pens on offer.

Top prices included £520 and £490 paid to N. Weatherup from Larne for two pens of Scotch half breds. The highest price for Mules was £465, paid to D. Bamber from Ballymena.

P. Donnelly from Rathkenny sold two pens of Mules for £460 and I. Young from Coleraine had a pen of Cheviot Mules that made £450. But it was a different picture in the ewe lamb ring where the average price was down by £6 year on year to reach £216. A key factor was the increased supply of pens on offer.

There were almost 1,300 ewe lambs presented for sale – 35% more than last year’s auction. The top price was £350, paid to R. Workman from Kilwaughter for a pen of Suffolk Cheviot ewe lambs, followed by I. Wilson from Islandmagee with ewe lambs that made £310.