The positivity of the sheep trade was reflected on Saturday at the Borris Ewe Breeders’ 57th show and sale in Leinster Marts, Co Carlow.
With an entry of 1,100 hoggets, 650 ewe lambs and 100 two- and three-year-old ewes, the sale achieved an overall clearance rate in excess of 90%.
The sale attracted buyers from all counties, with an average 30% of sheep sold heading for northern counties with strong buyers from Monaghan and Down in attendance.
Prices
A pen of ewe lambs weighing 60.5kg achieved €190, while the first-prize winning pen made €170 and weighed 46.5kg.
Hoggets saw a trade of €190 to €280, with few pens making below the €190 mark. The two- and three-year-old ewes made on average €200, while the prize-winning pen achieved a price of €215.
Prize hoggets
1st - Thomas McCarthy2nd - Seamus Kelly3rd - Paul Stacey4th - Larry Farrell5th - William BolgerPrize ewe lambs
1st - Seán Ryan2nd - Padraig Joyce 3rd - Pat Meaney4th - Jim Lennon5th - Michael Kelly
Prize two- and three-year-old ewes:
1st - Martin Doyle2nd - Pat Kavanagh Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh
“Today’s sale was marvellous, a lot better than expected. We were a little concerned because of the challenging times and the conditions in which we had to hold the sale. Everybody co-operated fully. The crowd was quite big but they were very well behaved. That aspect was challenging for us but worked out well.
“On the trade side of things, the sale I think will show a clearance of 90%. The trade itself was a significant improvement on what was expected and certainly up on last year, and last year was quite a good year.
“The tops of the hoggets today, when I say the top, I am talking about 30-35 pens, they would have made €250-€280. Rows and rows of pens made €150-€270. Rhat would be certainly be €15-€20 stronger than last year.
“The second tier of sheep made around €190-€250 and that would be about 70% of the hogget trade here today. There were very little pens that made under €190. Two- and three-year-old ewes were a fantastic trade and all achieved a price in excess of €200.
“There was under 700 ewe lambs entered in today’s sale.The trade was excellent from the start. There was the odd pen that did not sell, but the vast majority of lambs were sold on a price range from €90-€190. The pen of lambs that achieved €190 were heavy at 60kg, but the prize winners in that group made €170. There is an awful amount of good lambs that achieved €130-€170. People selling the lambs today will be very happy with themselves.
“The lighter lambs brought a price of €85 all the way up to €120 which would be good for their weight.
“We had buyers from north, south, east and west, with buyers from Kerry, Monaghan, Tipperary and Roscommon and other northern counties. Northern county buyers consumed 30% of the trade. It is a pity about the coronavirus as it does take from the enjoyment of the occasion. You can’t really smile at anybody when you are wearing a mask, but having said that, the protocols were adhered to and it has been a good day in Borris.”
Jason Wilkin
Jason Wilkin.
“We are coming down from Monaghan the past five or six years and we find the Borris ewe ideal to breed, as they produce serious good terminal lambs and replacement lambs. We cross them with Texel rams and we think they are an ideal sheep.
“I purchased hoggets. The price was good, the trade was strong. I am very happy with the sheep price overall this year, our lambs are averaging about €10-€12 a head more than any other year, it is also showing on the price of rams and the price of hoggets.”
Dale Wilson
Jason Wilkin, Dale Wilson(centre) and Daniel Hawthorn from Co Monaghan at the Borris Ewe Breeders sheep sale.
“We like to travel down here from Monaghan every year because of the simple reason, you are getting a big strong lengthy quality ewe and it produces a fast-growing quality lamb. We cross the ewes back on to terminal rams, like Texel and Beltex.
“The choice of ewes are here, there is a good variety of sheep out on the day. We purchased 40 hoggets and 31 lambs. The hoggets will be tipped on the first of November and the lambs will run on over the winter. We will put them with the ram the following year.
“The sheep price is exceptional this year, but its also very dangerous to purchase sheep on the day, what you bought today, you are basing it on this year's lamb prices which in business terms isn’t great but you have to go with what is here on the day.”
Adrian Hayden, secretary of Borris Ewe Breeders
Adrian Hayden, secretary of the Borris Ewe Breeders Association.
“It was a very good sale. The lambs made from €120 to €190. There was a very good yard of big strong hoggets. The majority made €210, with the prize winners making €275. A lot of buyers took two or three pens. The two- to three-year-old ewes - the prize winners made €250.
“I had lambs here today. I was happy with the price they brought at €120. A lot of buyers were from the northern counties. They come down to Borris because they want a good stand of a ewe.The Borris ewe is a Cheviot ewe crossed with a Suffolk ram.
“Sheep price this year is very good so far. With Kildare Chilling out of action, we don’t know what will happen with the COVID-19. We hope they will soon be open again to keep a floor on the price. We would be very worried about other factories closing.”
Michael O’Gorman, president of the Borris Ewe Breeders
Michael Gorman of the Borris Ewe Breeders Association.
“The sale went very good today. I had hoggets in the sale today. I was happy with how they went. The average price of a hogget ewe here today was about €200. The tops of them made €280.
“The sheep trade has improved from the last few years but the thing is the wool. I remember in 1954 wool made a pound and the wool off 500 sheep would buy you the best 100ac farm in the country and this year it’s not able to pay for the shearing.
“We would be worried if other factories are going to close with the virus and if they do it’s going to affect the price of the sheep. The only thing that is keeping the price of the sheep good this year is scarcity. No matter what you have, if the supply is short the price will be high.”
Thomas McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy with his pen of prize-winning hoggets.
“The sale was an excellent sale with great quality sheep. The standard was very high in the three classes, mainly for hoggets. It’s the best standard I have seen here in 30 years.
“A buyer said to me today that he didn’t see a wrong sheep, we are very happy with the sale overall.
“There is no excuses for not wearing a mask here today. I had my own mask with me. We had the signs, hand sanitiser, we closed off a couple of rows in the mart to spread the crowd a bit. Everyone had to wear a mask in around the ring. I think it worked out and I hope everyone will be safe.
“The price of sheep this year is up about €20/head on average, but overall I think fat lambs and cast ewes are up the same. All round everyone gets a few pound back. The sheep trade is very positive at the minute and I hope it lasts.
“We are really hoping more factory closures wont happen. I was talking to an agent here today and he said the price of lambs are back up the last few days. Everyone needs the factories and that’s the way it works. It’s a dangerous time.”
The Borris Ewe Breeders Association is holding its next sale in two weeks’ time in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow.
Read more
Fifty-six years of flocking to Borris
Watch: top price of €6,500 for champion ram at Texel premier
The positivity of the sheep trade was reflected on Saturday at the Borris Ewe Breeders’ 57th show and sale in Leinster Marts, Co Carlow.
With an entry of 1,100 hoggets, 650 ewe lambs and 100 two- and three-year-old ewes, the sale achieved an overall clearance rate in excess of 90%.
The sale attracted buyers from all counties, with an average 30% of sheep sold heading for northern counties with strong buyers from Monaghan and Down in attendance.
Prices
A pen of ewe lambs weighing 60.5kg achieved €190, while the first-prize winning pen made €170 and weighed 46.5kg.
Hoggets saw a trade of €190 to €280, with few pens making below the €190 mark. The two- and three-year-old ewes made on average €200, while the prize-winning pen achieved a price of €215.
Prize hoggets
1st - Thomas McCarthy2nd - Seamus Kelly3rd - Paul Stacey4th - Larry Farrell5th - William BolgerPrize ewe lambs
1st - Seán Ryan2nd - Padraig Joyce 3rd - Pat Meaney4th - Jim Lennon5th - Michael Kelly Prize two- and three-year-old ewes:
1st - Martin Doyle2nd - Pat Kavanagh Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh
“Today’s sale was marvellous, a lot better than expected. We were a little concerned because of the challenging times and the conditions in which we had to hold the sale. Everybody co-operated fully. The crowd was quite big but they were very well behaved. That aspect was challenging for us but worked out well.
“On the trade side of things, the sale I think will show a clearance of 90%. The trade itself was a significant improvement on what was expected and certainly up on last year, and last year was quite a good year.
“The tops of the hoggets today, when I say the top, I am talking about 30-35 pens, they would have made €250-€280. Rows and rows of pens made €150-€270. Rhat would be certainly be €15-€20 stronger than last year.
“The second tier of sheep made around €190-€250 and that would be about 70% of the hogget trade here today. There were very little pens that made under €190. Two- and three-year-old ewes were a fantastic trade and all achieved a price in excess of €200.
“There was under 700 ewe lambs entered in today’s sale.The trade was excellent from the start. There was the odd pen that did not sell, but the vast majority of lambs were sold on a price range from €90-€190. The pen of lambs that achieved €190 were heavy at 60kg, but the prize winners in that group made €170. There is an awful amount of good lambs that achieved €130-€170. People selling the lambs today will be very happy with themselves.
“The lighter lambs brought a price of €85 all the way up to €120 which would be good for their weight.
“We had buyers from north, south, east and west, with buyers from Kerry, Monaghan, Tipperary and Roscommon and other northern counties. Northern county buyers consumed 30% of the trade. It is a pity about the coronavirus as it does take from the enjoyment of the occasion. You can’t really smile at anybody when you are wearing a mask, but having said that, the protocols were adhered to and it has been a good day in Borris.”
Jason Wilkin
Jason Wilkin.
“We are coming down from Monaghan the past five or six years and we find the Borris ewe ideal to breed, as they produce serious good terminal lambs and replacement lambs. We cross them with Texel rams and we think they are an ideal sheep.
“I purchased hoggets. The price was good, the trade was strong. I am very happy with the sheep price overall this year, our lambs are averaging about €10-€12 a head more than any other year, it is also showing on the price of rams and the price of hoggets.”
Dale Wilson
Jason Wilkin, Dale Wilson(centre) and Daniel Hawthorn from Co Monaghan at the Borris Ewe Breeders sheep sale.
“We like to travel down here from Monaghan every year because of the simple reason, you are getting a big strong lengthy quality ewe and it produces a fast-growing quality lamb. We cross the ewes back on to terminal rams, like Texel and Beltex.
“The choice of ewes are here, there is a good variety of sheep out on the day. We purchased 40 hoggets and 31 lambs. The hoggets will be tipped on the first of November and the lambs will run on over the winter. We will put them with the ram the following year.
“The sheep price is exceptional this year, but its also very dangerous to purchase sheep on the day, what you bought today, you are basing it on this year's lamb prices which in business terms isn’t great but you have to go with what is here on the day.”
Adrian Hayden, secretary of Borris Ewe Breeders
Adrian Hayden, secretary of the Borris Ewe Breeders Association.
“It was a very good sale. The lambs made from €120 to €190. There was a very good yard of big strong hoggets. The majority made €210, with the prize winners making €275. A lot of buyers took two or three pens. The two- to three-year-old ewes - the prize winners made €250.
“I had lambs here today. I was happy with the price they brought at €120. A lot of buyers were from the northern counties. They come down to Borris because they want a good stand of a ewe.The Borris ewe is a Cheviot ewe crossed with a Suffolk ram.
“Sheep price this year is very good so far. With Kildare Chilling out of action, we don’t know what will happen with the COVID-19. We hope they will soon be open again to keep a floor on the price. We would be very worried about other factories closing.”
Michael O’Gorman, president of the Borris Ewe Breeders
Michael Gorman of the Borris Ewe Breeders Association.
“The sale went very good today. I had hoggets in the sale today. I was happy with how they went. The average price of a hogget ewe here today was about €200. The tops of them made €280.
“The sheep trade has improved from the last few years but the thing is the wool. I remember in 1954 wool made a pound and the wool off 500 sheep would buy you the best 100ac farm in the country and this year it’s not able to pay for the shearing.
“We would be worried if other factories are going to close with the virus and if they do it’s going to affect the price of the sheep. The only thing that is keeping the price of the sheep good this year is scarcity. No matter what you have, if the supply is short the price will be high.”
Thomas McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy with his pen of prize-winning hoggets.
“The sale was an excellent sale with great quality sheep. The standard was very high in the three classes, mainly for hoggets. It’s the best standard I have seen here in 30 years.
“A buyer said to me today that he didn’t see a wrong sheep, we are very happy with the sale overall.
“There is no excuses for not wearing a mask here today. I had my own mask with me. We had the signs, hand sanitiser, we closed off a couple of rows in the mart to spread the crowd a bit. Everyone had to wear a mask in around the ring. I think it worked out and I hope everyone will be safe.
“The price of sheep this year is up about €20/head on average, but overall I think fat lambs and cast ewes are up the same. All round everyone gets a few pound back. The sheep trade is very positive at the minute and I hope it lasts.
“We are really hoping more factory closures wont happen. I was talking to an agent here today and he said the price of lambs are back up the last few days. Everyone needs the factories and that’s the way it works. It’s a dangerous time.”
The Borris Ewe Breeders Association is holding its next sale in two weeks’ time in Leinster Marts, Borris, Co Carlow.
Read more
Fifty-six years of flocking to Borris
Watch: top price of €6,500 for champion ram at Texel premier
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: