Peak week for sheep breeding sales

The next 10 days is possibly the busiest period for sheep breeding sales, with several producer or breeding groups holding annual sales.

These sales will handle upwards of 10,000 ewe lambs, hoggets and ewes, while many marts have also organised their own special breeding sales.

Below is a snapshot of sales taking place over the next 10 days.

Borris Ewe Breeders Association

The second Borris Ewe Breeders Association sale takes place in Borris Mart, Carlow, on Saturday 26 August.

The association is celebrating its 60th year of trading and after a positive premier sale is looking forward to the second sale.

There is expected to be 500 Suffolk-cross-Cheviot ewe hoggets on offer, 300 ewe lambs and over 50 two- and three-year-old ewes.

Donegal Cheviot and Cheviot Cross Breeders

The fifth annual Donegal Cheviot and Cheviot Cross Breeders Group sale takes place in Ballybofey and Stranorlar Mart, Donegal, at 6pm.

There will be in the region of 1,000 ewe hoggets and ewe lambs on offer, split evenly between Cheviot and Suffolk-cross-Cheviot sheep.

Carrick prolific ewe lamb replacements

The sale, which takes place on Friday 1 September at 2pm in Carrick-on-Shannon Mart, Leitrim, offers maternal replacements from a number of breeds.

Those listed include Bluefaced Leicester crosses, Belclare, Blu duMaine, Cheviot-cross, Mule, Suffolk, New Zealand Suffolk, Sufftex and Texel crosses.

Aughrim Sheep Breeders

The 56th annual show and sale of Suffolk-cross-Cheviot and Cheviot sheep takes place in Carnew Mart, Wicklow, starting at 11am.

The sale will offer a large selection of Suffolk-cross-Cheviot and Cheviot ewe lambs, hoggets and mature ewes.

Maam Cross Mule Group

Maam Cross Mart is the venue on Saturday 2 September for the annual Maam Cross Mule Group’s premier sale of ewe lambs and ewe hoggets.

A high percentage of the sale offering will comprise ewe lambs. Sheep entered are varied in breeding, with progeny from traditional Blackface ewes in the region and ewes possessing other genetics such as Lanark breeding.

Cooley Sheep Breeders

This sale, hosted on the Greenore Road on Carlingford Lough, is unique in that it is the largest outdoor sale of breeding ewe lambs and hoggets in Ireland.

The sale venue is constructed on a greenfield site, with a huge voluntary effort transforming the field into an efficient working mart.

There is 3,000 ewe lambs and ewe hoggets entered in the multi-breed sale that includes Mules, Suffolk-cross-Cheviot, Scottish Blackface, Mule and numerous other crosses. Sale starts at 11am.

Southeast Mule Breeders

Taking place in Tullow Mart, Carlow, the South East Mule Breeders is holding its annual sale of Mule sheep starting at 12.30pm on Saturday 2 September. Sale numbers are likely to be in the region of 980 ewe lambs, 580 hoggets and 260 mature ewes.