Tullow Mart’s sheep sale on Tuesday recorded a red-hot trade, with supplies failing to satisfy keen demand from wholesale buyers and factory agents. Buyers have been struggling to source required numbers due to inclement weather and challenging transport conditions and this in turn generated extra competition for an entry of over 400 lambs and 200-plus ewes.
Tullow Mart’s sheep sale on Tuesday recorded a red-hot trade, with supplies failing to satisfy keen demand from wholesale buyers and factory agents.
Buyers have been struggling to source required numbers due to inclement weather and challenging transport conditions and this in turn generated extra competition for an entry of over 400 lambs and 200-plus ewes.
Prices for slaughter-fit sheep recorded a fine average of in excess of €4.10/kg.
Heavier, quality lambs weighing upwards of 53kg to 55kg sold from €215 to €230/head, with the pick of prices being €228 paid for a batch of 23 lambs weighing 56kg. Prices here ranged from €3.75/kg to €4.10/kg on a per-kilo basis.
The average price per kilo was stronger for lambs weighing from 50kg to 52kg, with prices ranging from €206 to €215/head or from €4.02/kg to €4.22/kg.
Lambs weighing 49kg sold in a tight price range from €202 to €209/head, with a similar situation evident for lambs weighing 47kg and selling around the €190/head mark.
Agents were also keen for lighter lambs with flesh, with lambs weighing 44kg to 45kg selling in the main from €185/head to €190.
Stores remain a solid trade despite the weather, with lambs weighing from 30kg to 37kg selling in the region of €3.80/kg to €3.90/kg, while shorter-keep lots weighing 39kg to 40kg sold from €4/kg to €4.20/kg.
The trade for cull ewes was described by Tullow Mart manager Eric Driver as especially sharp.
While there were some standout prices of €250 to €294 paid for small numbers of ewes, it was the trade for ewes weighing 75kg to 85kg that witnessed the sharpest demand.
Top prices for ewes weighing 80kg to 85kg topped the €200 mark, with quality ewes averaging from €2.40/kg to €2.80/kg.
Lighter lots and ewes lacking flesh also recorded strong prices, ranging from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, while a small number of light hill ewes sold from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg.
Cattle sale
The mart also held its first cattle sale of 2025 last Friday, with prices strengthening significantly from before the Christmas break.
This was especially apparent, according to Eric, for slaughter-fit stock, with good-quality continental bullocks and heifers selling from €3.30/kg to upwards of €3.50/kg.
Weighing 55kg these mainly Suffolk ewe lambs sold for €223 (€4.06/kg).
These Charollais-cross wether lambs weighing 45kg sold for €192 each (€4.27/kg).
Two Texel-cross ram lambs weighing 55kg sold for €215 each (€3.91/kg).
Three Dutch Spotted ewe lambs with an average weight of 40kg sold for €168 (€4.20/kg).
This batch of lambs weighing 47kg sold for €191 (€4.06/kg).
This batch of light Dutch Spotted-cross ewe and wether lambs weighing 33kg sold for €126 each (€3.82/kg).
This batch of five ewe lambs weighing 52kg sold for €210 each (€4.04/kg).
This batch of mixed breed cull ewes weighing 81kg sold for €216 (€2.67/kg).
These Mule and crossbred ewes weighing 84kg sold for €220 each (€2.62/kg).
These mixed breed cull ewes weighing 75kg sold for €179 each (€2.39/kg).
Weighing 27kg, these light store lambs sold for €114 each (€4.22/kg).
This Charollais hogget weighing 70kg sold for €210 (€3/kg).
This pair of plainer-quality ewe lambs weighing 58kg sold for €218 (€3.76/kg).
This single Suffolk lamb weighing 45kg sold for €176 (€3.91/kg).
This batch of three ram lambs weighing 50kg sold for €194 each (€3.88/kg).
This pair of light Suffolk-cross ewe lambs weighing 30kg sold for €116 each (€3.87/kg).
This Charollais hogget weighing 55kg sold for €208 each (€3.78/kg).
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