Tullow Mart manager Eric Driver said there was a great atmosphere at last Tuesday’s sheep sale, with all categories meeting a significantly stronger demand.

These Texel lambs weighing 45kg sold for €115 (€2.56/kg).

Eric said: “We had agents supplying all factories competing with butcher buyers, the appetite for store lambs is increasing by the week and cull ewe prices have recovered to levels achieved three to four weeks ago.

This pen of aged broken-mouth ewes with a good udder and suitable for breeding sold for €125.

“Sales days like these are hard beaten and hopefully point to a solid lead-in to breeding sales,” he said.

Factory and butcher lambs were reported as increasing by about €3 to €4 on average.

This batch of Texel cross cull ewes weighing 84kg sold for €115.

Lambs weighing 42kg to 48kg sold on average from €108 to €115, while heavier lambs sold from €114 to €123 including an exceptional pen of 48kg lambs at €123.

Demand was such that factory agents were willing to drop down in weight, with 37kg to 40kg lambs selling from the low-€90s to the low-€100s.

This pen of well-conformed lambs weighing 45kg sold for €118.

The store trade was vibrant, but prices varied significantly depending on quality. Lots weighing 32kg to 36kg sold from €70 to €76 for average-quality lots, with quality tight-wooled lambs selling from €80 to €88.

This pen of nice Suffolk cross ewe lambs weighing 44kg sold for €115 (€2.61/kg).

Heavy cull ewes weighing 80kg to 95kg sold easily from €105 to €125, with top prices for ewes weighing 101kg hitting €141. The trade is being helped by farmers looking to source breeding ewes suitable for early lambing.

This pen of aged broken-mouth ewes suitable for breeding sold for €125.