There was a flying trade for ewe lambs with breeding potential at Ballinasloe Mart on Thursday evening.

Suffolk and Suffolk-cross lambs were especially sought after, with heavier top-quality lots weighing from 48kg upwards selling in the main from €185 to €225/head.

One pen of excellent-quality lambs weighing 60kg exceeded this range, selling to a top price of €254/head.

There was also a slightly sharper trade for finished and store lambs.

Fleshed lambs weighing 50kg to 54kg sold from €168 to €173/head, with a couple of pens of lesser-quality lots selling back to €160/head.

Lambs weighing 45kg to 47kg sold anywhere from €146 to €155/head depending on quality.

Store lambs weighing around the 40kg to 44kg mark sold from €95 to €108 with the weight, depending on flesh cover.

Ewe hoggets

The trade for ewe hoggets was lively, with plenty of buyers again present for top-quality lots.

Heavier ewe hoggets weighing upwards of 75kg sold from €260 to €300 for medium-quality lots, while top-quality lots sold to €350 and a run of excellent-quality Suffolk ewe hoggets weighing up to 80kg sold from €350 to €380/head.

Lighter-framed hoggets weighing 60kg to 65kg sold from €220 to €250, with some light but top-quality lots with potential to grow into good hoggets rising to €280 to €300/head.

Ewes were also in good demand, with nice-quality second- and third-crop ewes selling to upwards of €220/head.

In pictures

These Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 53kg sold for €170 each (€3.21/kg).

These top-quality Charollais-cross ewe lambs weighing 53kg sold for €174 each (€3.26/kg).

This batch of light Greyface ewe lambs sold for €90 each.

These quality Suffolk ewe lambs weighing 48kg sold for €217 each (€4.52/kg).

These Cheviot ewe hoggets weighing 59kg sold for €275 each.

This pen of Suffolk-cross ewe hoggets weighing 62kg sold for €302 each.

These speckle-faced hoggets weighing 73kg sold for €315 each.

This pen of Suffolk-cross ewe hoggets weighing 62kg sold for €302 each.

This pen of third-crop to broken-mouth Scottish Blackface ewes weighing 60kg sold for €130 each.

This mixed-breed batch of second- and third-crop ewes weighing 70kg sold for €195 each.

These second- and third-crop Cheviot ewes weighing 73kg sold for €210 each (€2.88/kg).

These good-quality Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 52kg sold for €200 each (€3.85/kg).

These Texel ewe lambs weighing 51kg sold for €173 each (€3.39/kg).

Weighing an average of 40kg, these Cheviot ram lambs sold for €120 each (€3/kg).