An entry of over 900 hoggets in last Saturday’s Borris Ewe Breeders Association premier sale averaged in the region of €325 per head. This year’s sale was coming of the back of record prices in 2025, with hoggets averaging in excess of €350 per head so it was always going to be hard to repeat this performance notwithstanding the effect of serious drought in the region.

As such, demand from local buyers was significantly curtailed with a high percentage of hoggets purchased by buyers from further afield. While the trade was easier compared to 2025 it was still positive, with about 5% of hoggets topping €400 per head and selling to a top price of €430 per head.

Another 23% of pens sold from €350 to €395 per head, with the majority of these large-framed and heavy hoggets. The main entry accounting for just over 50% of sale lots ranged from €300 to €345 per head leaving just over 20% of lots selling from €255 to €295 per head with a few lots returning home unsold.

The quality of sheep on offer was good with little signs of drought having an effect on quality other than smaller numbers possibly being lighter than usual. Leinster Mart manager Paddy Galvin commended the efforts of farmers.

Drought possibly reduced the number of ewe lambs on offer with 370 entered, but those on offer were of good quality with the average weight in the region of 45kg.

Ewe lambs were possibly a sharper trade as a result with prices averaging at over €230 per head. A handful of the lots exceeded €300 per head, with the first prizewinning lambs selling for €310 per head. These ewe lambs possessed a combination of quality and weight averaging in excess of 50kg liveweight.

About 40% of the entry sold from €225 to €275, with these again tending to be heavier lambs ranging from 45kg to 50kg and averaging approximately 47kg liveweight. Another 30% sold from €200 to €225, with lambs here weighing from 39kg to 46kg.

The remaining balance of 15% sold from €160 to €195, with these mainly comprising of lighter but nice quality lambs weighing from 32kg to 37kg liveweight.

The next Borris Sheep Breeders Association sale takes place on Saturday 22 August.

These lighter Suffolk x Cheviot-cross ewe lambs weighing 36.5kg were bid to €155 (€4.25/kg) but were not sold.
These good-quality Suffolk x Cheviot-cross ewe lambs weighing 39kg sold for €215 each (€5.51/kg).
These Suffolk x Cheviot-cross lambs weighing 48kg sold for €245 per head (€5.33/kg).
Weighing 46kg, these blacker-faced Suffolk X Cheviot-cross ewe lambs sold for €215 (€4.67/kg).
These Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 43.5kg sold for €200 each (€4.60/kg).
These lighter Suffolk X Cheviot-cross ewe lambs weighing 39kg sold for €215 each (€5.51/kg).
Weighing 43kg, these Suffolk X Cheviot-cross ewe lambs sold for €245 each (€5.70/kg).
These first prizewinning suffolk X Cheviot-cross ewe lambs weighing 46kg sold for €310 each (€6.74/kg).
These nice-quality Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 46kg sold for €220 (€4.78/kg).
These heavier blacker-faced Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 54kg sold for €265 (€4.91/kg) each.
These top-quality large-framed Suffolk X Cheviot-cross ewe hoggets sold for €375 each.