The countdown is on to the Sheep Ireland Elite €uroStar Multi-Breed Ram Sale which takes place on Saturday, August 23 at Kilkenny Mart, Co Kilkenny.

Over 650 rams are expected to be on offer including over 220 Texel rams, over 180 Charollais rams and in excess of 130 Suffolk rams.

There are 16 breeds in total with rams on offer making it the largest multi-breed ram sale in Ireland. The sales catalogue can be viewed at www.sheep.ie.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sheep Ireland state that all rams on offer must meet strict eligibility criteria.

All rams offered for sale will be:

• Eligible for the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS);

• DNA parentage verified; and

• Rated five stars on the Replacement and/or Terminal index".

"In addition, only flocks with a Data Quality Index (DQI) above 85% are permitted to enter, ensuring that buyers can trust the performance data and genetic evaluations."

Sheep Ireland also explains that all participating breeders are genetically linked flocks, which they say allows for more accurate genetic evaluations.

"The growing demand from commercial farmers for physically correct rams with strong €uro-Star ratings is reflected in the continued success of this sale. Every ram will undergo a physical inspection at intake, giving both in-person and online buyers confidence in their purchase."

Viewing is available from 9am with the sale starting at 10.30am sharp. Online bidding is available via the MartBids online sales platform and Sheep Ireland are advising farmers hoping to purchase online to register early with the mart.