The Sheep Ireland elite €uro-Star ram sale held last Saturday in Kilkenny Mart saw 359 rams sold at an average price of €906/head.

The average price was marginally down compared with 2025 by €7/head.

There was a sale entry of 472 rams and a clearance rate of 75%. The clearance rate was also slightly down on the 80% recorded in 2025, while the number of rams passing through the ring was 25% lower.

Table 1 details the sale statistics by breed and includes a comparison to the 2025 sale for a number of sale metrics.

Charollais breed

Starting with the largest breed entry first, Charollais recorded a clearance rate of 75%, up 1% on 2025. The average price of €909/head was €36/head lower, with rams selling within a price range from €450 to €1,900.

Sheep Ireland reports that the highest-priced Charollais ram was lot 85, exhibited by David Argue from the Rockdale flock, which sold for €1,900. This ram lamb ranked in the top 2% of the breed for days to slaughter.

Texel rams

Texel rams enjoyed a steady trade, with the average price marginally firmer by €5/head at €1,031 and ranged from €450 to €3,100.

There was an 85% clearance rate of the 121 rams offered.

The highest-priced Texel ram was lot 208 from breeders John, Colm and Michael McHugh from the Greenhill flock in Co Monaghan, which sold for €3,100. The double five-star ram lamb ranked in the top 4% of the breed for both days to slaughter and number of lambs born.

Suffolk rams

The 64 Suffolk rams offered for sale achieved a clearance rate of 75% and an average price of €1,020.

The top price of €3,000 was paid to Susan O’Keeffe from the Clyda flock in Co Cork. The ram lamb, lot 315, ranked in the top 10% of the breed for the terminal index and was purchased for breeding.

Belclare breed

The Belclare was the final breed offered in ring three with 48 rams offered. The average price was €641, with a 77% clearance rate.

The highest-priced Belclare ram was lot 428, which sold for €1,250. Bred by Liam and Eoin Dunne of the Tubber Belclare flock in Co Offaly, the ram was a double five-star lamb that sold to another pedigree breeder.

Vendéen rams

There was a smaller entry of 11 Vendéen rams offered for sale this year, with 73% of these finding a new home.

The average price was recorded at €663, with prices ranging from €550 to €950.

Brendan and Carmel Rooney’s Moneygold Vendéen flock in Co Sligo claimed the top price with their double five-star lamb ranked in the top 2% of the breed for the replacement index and the top 5% for the terminal index.

Rouge de l’Ouest

The seven Rouge de l’Ouest rams entered achieved a clearance rate of 86% and an average price of €492.

The highest price of €600 was achieved by the Seeorum flock run by Oliver and Claire Keaskin in Co Cavan for lot 399. This ram ranked in the top 13% of the breed for the terminal index.

Hampshire Down

With an average sale price of €600, the seven Hampshire Down rams achieved a clearance rate of 43%.

Prices ranged from €450 to €850, with Edward Buckley’s Kilbarry flock in Co Cork claiming the top price of €850 for lot 417.

The double five-star ram ranked in the top 6% of the breed for the replacement index and the top 2% of the breed for the terminal index.

Lleyn rams

Six Lleyn rams were offered for sale and four of these (67%) found new homes at an average price of €488 (€350 to €650).

The top-priced Lleyn was a hogget ram, lot 394, which was offered for sale by Finbarr Godfrey of the Cregeen flock in Co Kerry and which sold for €650.

The ram ranked in the top 2% of the breed for lamb survivability.

Easycare breed

The three Easycare rams were offered by the Chapelizod flock of William Hutchinson, Co Kilkenny.

Prices ranged from €900 to €1,300 (€1,033 average) and the top-priced Easycare, lot 406, is positioned in the top 5% of the breed for days to slaughter and the top 8% for the terminal index.

Dutch Spotted

All three Dutch Spotted rams sold with prices in a tight range from €450 to €500.

Lots 167 and 168 shared the top price from the flocks of Oliver and Claire Keaskin, Seeorum flock, Co Cavan, and Eddie and Sheena McCarthy’s flock in Ballybeg, Buttervent, Co Cork.

Both rams were double five-star and ranked in the top 1% of the breed for lamb survivability.

Ile de France

William Hutchinson’s Ile de France flock also had the two Easycare rams on offer.

The breed was represented by two hogget rams from breeder William J Hutchinson in ring three. Lots 409 and 410 both found buyers, with each lot selling for €750.

Beltex

Just one of the three Beltex rams on offer sold. Lot 158, offered by John and Dudley Maher from the Ballinakill Beltex flock, sold for €450.

The ram, lot 158, was in the top 15% of the breed for days to slaughter and 19% of the breed for lamb survivability.

Bluefaced Leicester

The Bluefaced Leicester breed was represented by one entry on the day. Lot 174, exhibited by Dan and Ann O’Mahony, Ballygarvan, Co Cork, sold for €700.

The double five-star ram ranked in the top 2% of the breed for both days to slaughter and number of lambs born.

Non-sellers

As detailed in Table 1, the rams offered in the Dorset, Jacob and Galway breeds did not sell on the day.