Air temperatures were not the only hot feature in Dowra Mart in Co Cavan at last Friday’s sale, as there was also more heat in the trade for ewe lambs.

Mart manager Terry McGovern said there was more farmer buyers looking to source both stronger-type ewe lambs suitable for letting to the ram this year and also lighter ewe lambs with potential to make nice-quality hoggets.

The keenest demand was for well-bred sharp-headed sheep, with several lots weighing from 38kg to 40kg topping €3/kg and rising as high as €135 to €138 or €3.40/kg to €3.50/kg.

Nice-quality lighter lots weighing back to 32kg to 33kg hit the €3/kg mark with ease, while a standout price of €93 or €4.33/kg was paid for long-keep speckle-headed lambs weighing just 21.5kg.

This lot of 15 Suffolk ewe lambs, averaging 39kg, sold for €135 (€3.46/kg).

The entry of 1,700 sheep was down about 800 head on the previous week. This reduction was underpinned by a combination of tighter supplies of slaughter-fit lambs, with farmers pushing higher numbers out in the previous week to take advantage of demand for the Eid al-Adha festival, and also by some producers taking advantage of fine weather to complete field work.

This helped competition levels for factory lambs, with prices holding steady.

Fleshed lambs weighing in excess of 50kg ranged in general from €134 to €136 (€2.60/kg to €2.70/kg).

This lot of 17 Texel-cross ewe lambs, averaging 35kg, sold for €101 (€2.89/kg).

Prices paid for lambs weighing 44kg to 47kg were heavily influenced by flesh cover and quality, with a price range from €122 to €132 evident.

Demand for store ram lambs was also firm and a feature of the sale was several big lots numbering between 30 and upwards of 50 lambs offered in one batch.

Short-keep lambs weighing 39kg to 41kg sold from €100 to €113 or from €2.65/kg to a top of €2.75/kg to €2.80/kg for fleshed lots.

Lighter lots weighing 34kg to 37kg sold from €2.45/kg to €2.50/kg upwards for plainer-quality types, with average prices in the region of €2.55/kg to €2.65/kg.

Meanwhile, cull ewes ranged from €100 to €120 for lighter ewes and good-quality feeding ewes weighing 80kg upwards.

These 30kg Suffolk-cross ewe lambs including some crossbred lambs sold for €90 (€3/kg).

Top prices for fleshed ewes ranged from €130 to a top of €165 for a well-fleshed ewe weighing 96kg. A small number of hogget ewes sold from €170 to €200, with numbers expected to increase this week.

This pen is part of a lot of 30 Suffolk- and Texel-cross ram lambs weighing 35.5kg which sold for €91.50 (€2.58/kg).

This pen of 20 Cheviot- and Cheviot-cross ram lambs weighing 35kg sold for €84 (€2.40/kg).

This pen of 18 Texel-cross ewe lambs, averaging 35kg, sold for €98.50 (€2.81/kg).

This pen of 14 Texel- and Suffolk-cross ram lambs, averaging 45kg, sold for €126 (€2.80/kg).

This lot of 12 speckle-headed ewe lambs, averaging 37kg, sold for €121 (€3.27/kg).

This batch of 26 Texel ram lambs, averaging 38kg, made €114 (€3/kg).

One of two pens of Texel-crossbred ram lambs totaling 25 head which weighed 43kg and sold for €114.50 (€2.66/kg).