The Connemara Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Group annual show and sale of ewe lambs, hoggets and aged ewes witnessed a vibrant trade in Maam Cross mart in Co Galway, with 98% of the entry of 2,000 sheep sold.
Ewe lambs accounted for close to 50% of the sale entry and prices averaged at approximately €135 per head.
A selection of prize winning and excellent-quality lambs topped the €200 mark, selling to a top of €240 per head. About 30% of entries sold from €150 to €185 per head, with another third from €125 to €145 and the remainder from €95 to €120.
Hoggets averaged in the region of €220 per head. A selection of prizewinning and excellent-quality lots topped the €300 mark, with stronger types and quality lots from €220 to €265.
Some lighter types sold from €180 to €210, with only a few lots below this level.
There was good demand for aged ewes, with ewes with proven performance and offered by well-established flocks generating keen competition. Such lots topped the €200 mark and sold to a top of €260 per head.
About half of the remaining lots sold from €150 to €180, with some older ewes and lesser-quality types selling from €95 to €145 with the sale average at around €151 per head.
Prizewinners
Details of prizewinning lots are listed below;
First prize lambs: Stephen King, Roundstone for 12 lambs at 31kg sold at €155
Second prize lambs: Padraig Joyce, Cloughbrack for 12 lambs at 28kg sold at €225
Third prize lambs: Dean Kerrigan Cloughbrack for 10 lambs at 33kg sold at €165
First prize hoggets: Stephen King, Roundstone for 12 hoggets at 45kg sold at €300
Second prize hoggets: Padraig Derrig, Tourmakeady for 12 hoggets at 50kg sold at €235
Third prize hoggets: Micheal O’Neill, Tourmakeady for 12 hoggets at 46kg sold at €350
First prize aged ewes: Patrick O’Donovan, Killarney for 12 ewes at 49kg sold at €220
Second prize aged ewes: Dean Kerrigan, Cloughbrack for 12 ewes at 53kg sold at €255
Third prize aged ewes: Mairead Coyne, Cloughbrack for 11 ewes at 45kg sold at €180
This batch of 12 ewe lambs weighing 33.2kg sold for €160 per head.
These ewe lambs averaging 23.6kg sold for €135.
These ewe hoggets weighing an average of 50kg sold for €235 each.
These good-quality ewe hoggets weighing 45.7kg sold for €300 each.
Bryan Grealish, Ballycroy (left) purchaser of the top priced ram at €7,200 and breeder Sean Halloran, Clonbur, Co Galway. See pedigree for full report.
These ewe lambs weighing 29.8kg sold for €135 per head.
Weighing 28.8kg on average, these ewe lambs sold for €165 each.
This batch of 10 lighter lambs weighing 19.8kg 1sold for €100 each.
Weighing 33kg, this batch of 10 ewe lambs sold for €165.
The Connemara Mayo Blackface Sheep Breeders Group annual show and sale of ewe lambs, hoggets and aged ewes witnessed a vibrant trade in Maam Cross mart in Co Galway, with 98% of the entry of 2,000 sheep sold.
Ewe lambs accounted for close to 50% of the sale entry and prices averaged at approximately €135 per head.
A selection of prize winning and excellent-quality lambs topped the €200 mark, selling to a top of €240 per head. About 30% of entries sold from €150 to €185 per head, with another third from €125 to €145 and the remainder from €95 to €120.
Hoggets averaged in the region of €220 per head. A selection of prizewinning and excellent-quality lots topped the €300 mark, with stronger types and quality lots from €220 to €265.
Some lighter types sold from €180 to €210, with only a few lots below this level.
There was good demand for aged ewes, with ewes with proven performance and offered by well-established flocks generating keen competition. Such lots topped the €200 mark and sold to a top of €260 per head.
About half of the remaining lots sold from €150 to €180, with some older ewes and lesser-quality types selling from €95 to €145 with the sale average at around €151 per head.
Prizewinners
Details of prizewinning lots are listed below;
First prize lambs: Stephen King, Roundstone for 12 lambs at 31kg sold at €155
Second prize lambs: Padraig Joyce, Cloughbrack for 12 lambs at 28kg sold at €225
Third prize lambs: Dean Kerrigan Cloughbrack for 10 lambs at 33kg sold at €165
First prize hoggets: Stephen King, Roundstone for 12 hoggets at 45kg sold at €300
Second prize hoggets: Padraig Derrig, Tourmakeady for 12 hoggets at 50kg sold at €235
Third prize hoggets: Micheal O’Neill, Tourmakeady for 12 hoggets at 46kg sold at €350
First prize aged ewes: Patrick O’Donovan, Killarney for 12 ewes at 49kg sold at €220
Second prize aged ewes: Dean Kerrigan, Cloughbrack for 12 ewes at 53kg sold at €255
Third prize aged ewes: Mairead Coyne, Cloughbrack for 11 ewes at 45kg sold at €180
This batch of 12 ewe lambs weighing 33.2kg sold for €160 per head.
These ewe lambs averaging 23.6kg sold for €135.
These ewe hoggets weighing an average of 50kg sold for €235 each.
These good-quality ewe hoggets weighing 45.7kg sold for €300 each.
Bryan Grealish, Ballycroy (left) purchaser of the top priced ram at €7,200 and breeder Sean Halloran, Clonbur, Co Galway. See pedigree for full report.
These ewe lambs weighing 29.8kg sold for €135 per head.
Weighing 28.8kg on average, these ewe lambs sold for €165 each.
This batch of 10 lighter lambs weighing 19.8kg 1sold for €100 each.
Weighing 33kg, this batch of 10 ewe lambs sold for €165.
SHARING OPTIONS