Blessington Mart held a special sale of Suffolk-Cheviot-cross hoggets and ewe lambs in conjunction with its usual weekly sale on Tuesday.

Mart manager John Doyle described the trade as solid, with a yard of 2,456 sheep on offer. There was good demand for hoggets, but farmers were careful in their bidding, with average prices ranging from €160 to €180, while top-quality lots increased to €190. Small numbers of lighter-framed and plainer-quality lots sold back to €150 per head.

The trade for ewe lambs was brisk. Ewe lambs weighing 40kg to 48kg sold on average from €110 to €135, with a selection of prizewinners and excellent-quality lots rising to a top price of €166 per head. A few pens of lighter but top-quality ewe lambs weighing 30kg to 35kg sold from €90 to €110.

Store lambs were also a firm trade. Light lots weighing 30kg to 35kg sold from about €60 to €75 or €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg on average.

Lambs weighing 35kg to 42kg sold from €75 to €88 on average, with fleshed factory lambs selling in general from €90 to €98.

Cull ewes continue in a fine trade, with fleshed ewes selling from €90 to €115 in general, with large-framed lots rising to a top of €130. Feeding ewes sold from €65 to €85.