The Midland and Western Livestock Improvement Society held a production sale for the Clew Bay and Enniscrone flocks on Friday 28 December at its Carrick-on-Shannon venue. This is the fourth year Ronan Gallagher and Jimmy Garrivan have come together to put on the sale. While the clearance rate was back from 100% in 2017 to 83% in 2018, the average was up from €785/ewe in 2017 to €927/ewe in 2018. Eleven ewes broke the €1,000 barrier.

Top call went to Lot 9, a Tophill Union Jack daughter out of an Enniscrone Uncle Jerry ewe. She was scanned with twins to Enniscrone Bartrand and due at the end of March 2019. She was knocked down at €3,500.

Next highest price went to Lot 17, another Tophill Union Jack daughter out of a Castlecairn VaVa Voom ewe. This ewe was scanned with triplets to Garngour Aerosmith due at the end of February and knocked down at €3,000.

The third highest price went to Lot 25, an Enniscrone Uncle Sean daughter out of an Tamnamoney Preacher ewe, scanned with a single to the €9,500 Enniscrone Brasil and due in February. She was knocked down at €2,000.

A selection of five recipient ewes carrying pedigree Texel embryos averaged €700, while four recipient ewes with pedigree Suffolk lambs at foot averaged €570 each.

For the full sale report, see next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.