The first major breeding sheep sale of the season at Ballymena Livestock Mart saw the average price for hoggets rise by £8/head year on year.
The 46th annual sale of Suffolk cross and Continental-cross sheep on Saturday saw a large entry of 3,900 hoggets, which is 1,000 head more than last year’s sale.
Overall, hoggets averaged £295 on the day, which compares to £287 at the 2025 sale and £241 the year before that.
A look back at historic prices shows the average hogget price has doubled in eight years. Our records show that back in 2018, hoggets at the sale sold to an average price of £147.50.
At last Saturday’s sale, the top price of £460 was paid on two occasions for Suffolk Cheviot hoggets. Firstly, to William Donaghy from Rasharkin and then again to Wilson McCurdy from Broughshane.
The third-highest price on the day was £440 paid to William Blackburn from Clogher, also for a pen of Suffolk Cheviot hoggets.
In the ewe lamb ring, almost 800 sheep were offered up for sale.
The average price was £205, which is up £26 when compared to the same sale last year. It has taken just seven years for the average ewe lamb price to double. Back in 2019, ewe lambs averaged £98 at the annual sale.
Last Saturday, Logan Anderson from Kilwaughter received the top three ewe lamb prices of £300, £295 and £285 for his pens of Suffolk Cheviots.
Joe Adams from Glarryford was next with Texel Mule ewe lambs. His top-priced pen sold for £275 and another pen went for £255.
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