The Borris Ewe Breeders Association’s 57th annual show and sale, held in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow, met a fantastic trade for an entry of 1,100 hoggets, 650 ewe lambs and 100 two- and three-year-old ewes.
These 43.5kg ewe lambs sold for €165.
The quality of hoggets on offer was described as excellent, with plenty of buyers keen for strong, large-framed ewe hoggets.
Mart manager Jimmy Walsh said: “On the trade side of things, the sale showed a clearance of about 90%.
These sharp-headed ewe lambs weighing 41.5kg sold for €155.
“The trade itself was a significant improvement on what was expected and certainly up on last year, and last year was quite a good year.
“The tops of the hoggets today, when I say the top, I am talking about 30 to 35 pens, they would have made €250 to €280.
“That would certainly be €15 to €20 stronger than last year.
These whiter-faced ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €125.
These ewe lambs with more Suffolk breeding and weighing 43kg sold for €120.
“The second tier of sheep made around €190 to €250 and that would be about 70% of the hogget trade here today. There were very little pens that made under €190.
These top-quality ewe lambs weighing 45kg sold for €170.
These lighter-framed ewe lambs weighing 39.5kg sold for €110.
“Two- and three-year-old ewes were a fantastic trade and all achieved a price in excess of €200,” he said.
The sale attracted buyers from all counties, with 30% of sheep heading to counties in the northern half of the country.
These ewes hoggets sold for €202.
These ewe lambs weighing 43.5kg sold for €145.
The ewe lamb trade improved by €10 to €20 on 2019 levels and this was helped by a higher percentage of heavier ewe lambs weighing in excess of 45kg.
These lighter but nice-quality ewe lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €135.
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €110.
“There was the odd pen that did not sell, but the vast majority of lambs were sold on a price range from €90 to €190.
“The pen of lambs that achieved €190 were heavy at 60kg, but the prizewinners in that group made €170. There is an awful amount of good lambs that achieved €130 to €170.
These ewe lambs with a blacker head and weighing 40kg sold for €135.
This pen of 45.5kg ewe lambs sold for €145.
“People selling the lambs today will be very happy with themselves. The lighter lambs brought a price of €85 all the way up to €120, which would be good for their weight.
These ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €147.
“Today’s sale was marvellous, a lot better than expected. We were a little concerned because of the challenging times with coronavirus, but everybody co-operated fully.
This light pen of ewe lambs weighing 31.5kg sold for €100.
The crowd was quite big, but they were very well behaved and the protocols were adhered to which is important.”
The Borris Ewe Breeders Association is holding its next sale on Saturday 29 August in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow.
The Borris Ewe Breeders Association’s 57th annual show and sale, held in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow, met a fantastic trade for an entry of 1,100 hoggets, 650 ewe lambs and 100 two- and three-year-old ewes.
These 43.5kg ewe lambs sold for €165.
The quality of hoggets on offer was described as excellent, with plenty of buyers keen for strong, large-framed ewe hoggets.
Mart manager Jimmy Walsh said: “On the trade side of things, the sale showed a clearance of about 90%.
These sharp-headed ewe lambs weighing 41.5kg sold for €155.
“The trade itself was a significant improvement on what was expected and certainly up on last year, and last year was quite a good year.
“The tops of the hoggets today, when I say the top, I am talking about 30 to 35 pens, they would have made €250 to €280.
“That would certainly be €15 to €20 stronger than last year.
These whiter-faced ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €125.
These ewe lambs with more Suffolk breeding and weighing 43kg sold for €120.
“The second tier of sheep made around €190 to €250 and that would be about 70% of the hogget trade here today. There were very little pens that made under €190.
These top-quality ewe lambs weighing 45kg sold for €170.
These lighter-framed ewe lambs weighing 39.5kg sold for €110.
“Two- and three-year-old ewes were a fantastic trade and all achieved a price in excess of €200,” he said.
The sale attracted buyers from all counties, with 30% of sheep heading to counties in the northern half of the country.
These ewes hoggets sold for €202.
These ewe lambs weighing 43.5kg sold for €145.
The ewe lamb trade improved by €10 to €20 on 2019 levels and this was helped by a higher percentage of heavier ewe lambs weighing in excess of 45kg.
These lighter but nice-quality ewe lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €135.
This pen of ewe lambs weighing 38.5kg sold for €110.
“There was the odd pen that did not sell, but the vast majority of lambs were sold on a price range from €90 to €190.
“The pen of lambs that achieved €190 were heavy at 60kg, but the prizewinners in that group made €170. There is an awful amount of good lambs that achieved €130 to €170.
These ewe lambs with a blacker head and weighing 40kg sold for €135.
This pen of 45.5kg ewe lambs sold for €145.
“People selling the lambs today will be very happy with themselves. The lighter lambs brought a price of €85 all the way up to €120, which would be good for their weight.
These ewe lambs weighing 43kg sold for €147.
“Today’s sale was marvellous, a lot better than expected. We were a little concerned because of the challenging times with coronavirus, but everybody co-operated fully.
This light pen of ewe lambs weighing 31.5kg sold for €100.
The crowd was quite big, but they were very well behaved and the protocols were adhered to which is important.”
The Borris Ewe Breeders Association is holding its next sale on Saturday 29 August in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow.
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