There was an almost full clearance of the 1,420 hoggets at the Tullow Sheep Breeders Association’s first major breeding sale of the season on Wednesday.

Hoggets were a steady trade, with strong hoggets selling for €200/head to €220/head. The highest price was €265/head for Suffolk-Cheviot cross ewes and the champion pen of hoggets sold for €252/head. Tullow Mart manager Eric Driver said the strong prices were testament to the 29 years of hard work and dedication displayed by breeders which resulted in buyers from near and far attending the sale keen for the special breed of sheep.

There was a 75% clearance of the 900 ewe lambs on offer. Those that did not sell tended to be a little lighter than other years due to the tough spring. Suffolk-Cheviot cross ewe lambs weighing from 48kg to 52kg made on average €125/head to €150/head, with the top price for ewe lambs at €190/head.