Tuesday’s sheep sale in Blessington Mart, held by a tendering process, witnessed an easier trade for spring lambs and hoggets, while the fat ewe trade remains as vibrant as ever.

This pen of fleshed Scotch hoggets weighing 49kg sold for €125.

Manager John Doyle reported fleshed ewes selling on average from €124 to €140, while there was a standout price of €153 paid for two Charollais ewes.

Lighter ewes sold back to €90 to €100, while feeding ewes sold from €60 upwards.

This pen of mixed-quality cull ewes sold for €110.

Spring lambs and hoggets were easier to the tune of €5 to €8 per head.

These two fleshed cull ewes sold for €139.

Good-quality lambs weighing 42kg to 44kg upwards sold from €120 to €135, while lighter lots and feeding lambs weighing from 38kg to 41kg sold from €100 to €118 on average.

These two Charolais cull ewes topped the price for fat ewes at €153 each.

Fat hoggets weighing 48kg upwards sold from €118 to €130, while firm demand for ewe hoggets saw prices rising to €150 for lots with breeding potential.

Small numbers of light store hoggets sold from €70 for long-keep requiring a significant feeding period to €110 for short-keep lots.

This pen of 18 lambs averaging 41.5kg sold for €113.

Ewes with lambs at foot are in short supply to date.

There was one entry of Cheviot-cross ewes with a single lamb at foot selling well at €140 per unit.

These five light spring lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €101.