Kilkenny mart had a larger entry of 617 sheep on offer in Monday’s general sheep sale.

There was more competition for an entry of just shy of 500 lambs, with factory agents keen to source supplies for the Eid al-Adha festival and competing with butcher and wholesale buyers. Farmers were also pre-empting this demand with some very good-quality lambs on offer.

Top-quality heavy lambs weighing in excess of 52kg sold from €113 to a top of €120.

There was a €3 to €5 differential between slaughter-fit lambs of a similar weight with 48kg to 50kg lambs selling on average from €102 to €110.

The firm demand led to a solid trade for lighter factory lambs, with lots weighing 43kg to 46kg trading on average from €94 to €97 for fleshed lots, with plainer quality types with a poorer covering of flesh back to €90.

Cull ewes have remained a relatively solid trade in recent weeks, with heavy fleshed ewes exceeding the €100 mark and top prices rising to the mid €120s.

The mart will hold a breeding ewe lamb and ewe hogget sale next Monday with the show commencing at 11am and sale at 12.30pm. Those interested in entering sheep can book them in by ringing 056-772 1407.