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Camera at the mart attended the first sheep sale of 2018 at Kilrea Mart, Co Derry, this week.
There was a good entry of sheep, with just under 800 animals forwarded for sale, putting numbers on a similar footing to the final sales of 2017.
Heavy lambs were in limited supply, which had the knock-on effect of increasing buyer competition, although there was a good offering of lighter lambs or short-keep lambs, as well as cull ewes on offer also.
Trade was strongest for good-quality lambs carrying plenty of flesh and currently slaughter fit.
Driving the trade was a strong ring of buying agents who were eager to source sheep.
Prices reflected the quality of lambs forwarded and with buyers hungry for numbers, the added competition boosted sale prices. The trade peaked at £98 on a few occasions for lambs weighing 27kg half-weight.
Commenting on the sale, mart manager Mark Stewart said that bidding was brisk and the higher prices paid this week reflected both the quality of sheep being forwarded and the level of buyer demand for good sheep at present.
Following the top price of £98, heavy lowland-cross lambs weighing 25kg sold to £97, followed by £96.80 paid for a pen of lambs at the same weight.
Other noted prices saw £91.50 for a pen of mule-cross lambs weighing 25.5kg, while £90.50 was paid for a pen of 26kg lambs of similar breeding.
Lambs weighing 24kg sold to £88.60. Lighter lambs weighing 23.5kg sold to £88 on a couple of occasions, with £87.60 and £86.50 the top-end prices for lambs weighing 23kg.
There was a big entry of lighter lambs that are ideally suited to a short intensive feeding period to improve carcase weight and conformation.
Lambs weighing 21kg to 22kg sold from £72 to £78 per head, depending on quality and sale weight, while a few lots weighing 19kg to 20kg sold for £68 to £70 per head.
Fat ewes were a solid trade, with prices holding steady on previous sales. Prices paid peaked at £85 for ewes.
Republic's lamb trade steady at €5.00/kg to €5.10/kg
Factory demand strong for fleshed hoggets but numbers small so far
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