The Mayo Mule and Greyface Group held its two-day premier sale of hoggets and ewe lambs last Friday and Saturday in Aurivo Mart, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.
An entry of over 850 hoggets on Friday sold in a brisk trade, with prices averaging at €220/head – €4/ head higher than the comparable sale in 2022 with throughput 100 head lower.
About 35 lots of top-quality hoggets weighing from 70kg to 80kg (average 74kg) sold from €230 to a top price of €275 for the third-prizewinning batch.
Another 35 lots of lighter hoggets averaging about 63kg to 64kg sold from €200 to €225, with the remaining 15 or so lots averaging less than 60kg and trading from €170 to €195.
The trade for over 1,700 ewe lambs on Saturday recorded an average price of €140/head.
This was €5/head lower on 2022 levels, but this was driven in the main by weather reducing the average liveweight, with the trade every bit as strong as 12 months earlier.
Five lots exceeded €200/head, selling to a top of €260. Over 80 lots sold from €140 to €195, with lambs selling from €145 upwards typically being stronger lambs weighing 41kg upwards. Lambs from €120 to €140 were lighter lots weighing 37kg to 40kg (38.5kg average), while those selling from €100 to €115 sold solidly and averaged around the 34kg mark.
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