Prices were up by €58 to average €853/head at the 14th elite annual multi-breed ram sale, hosted by Sheep Ireland at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co Offaly, on Saturday.It is Ireland’s largest catalogued ram sale with 464 rams presented for sale across 11 breeds. The fact that all rams were eligible for the genotyped ram action in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) attracted higher numbers of farmers, while rams rated in the top 20% of their breed attracted buyers seeking rams with higher €uro-Star values.
Prices were up by €58 to average €853/head at the 14th elite annual multi-breed ram sale, hosted by Sheep Ireland at GVM Tullamore Mart, Co Offaly, on Saturday.
It is Ireland’s largest catalogued ram sale with 464 rams presented for sale across 11 breeds. The fact that all rams were eligible for the genotyped ram action in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) attracted higher numbers of farmers, while rams rated in the top 20% of their breed attracted buyers seeking rams with higher €uro-Star values.
As such, there was a wide differential in prices paid with rams selling from €300 all the way to €2,550.
The top price of €2,550 was recorded for two Suffolk rams, lot 447 and 448, from the Kells Flock of Eamonn Duffy, Co Meath.
The overall clearance rate of 90% is also well ahead of society averages in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Mayo Mule and Greyface Group had a flying sale to mark 40 years of breeding. On Friday, over 900 hoggets averaged €263.45/head, up €47 on the previous year while on Saturday an entry of over 1,500 lambs recorded a 100% clearance with the average price of €180.45/head, up €40 on 2023 levels.
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