Dowra Mart in west Co Cavan held its weekly sheep sale last Friday, with numbers through the yard experiencing a big increase from previous weeks.

The sale attracted a total entry of 800 sheep, with factory agents, farmers and northern buyers active throughout, contributing to an overall clearance rate of 100%.

This week’ sale was heavily dominated by ewe hoggets, with more farmers opting to sell hoggets in marts while prices remain good.

Hogget prices

Lighter lots weighing between 40kg and 44kg ranged in price from €136 to €145/head.

Factory hoggets weighing from 46kg to 52kg ranged in price from €154 to €169/head, with heavier types over 56kg making as much as €170/head.

Spring lambs were a good trade, with a number of lambs making around €167/head. Prices paid for these lots were strongly influenced by the type of lambs and level of flesh cover.

Cull ewes

This week, cull ewes experienced a slightly easier trade than previous weeks, with horned ewes weighing between 55kg and 67kg trading between €95 and €145 in the main, while heavier lowland ewes weighing upwards of 88kg liveweight averaged at €185/head, with some well-fleshed types topping out at €191/head.

Ewes with lambs at foot

There was some great prices witnessed for ewes with lambs at foot.

Twin-lamb lots with two- to three-year-old ewes ranged in price between €160 and €258/head.

Some horned ewes with two lambs at foot were also featured at the sale and averaged at €140/head.

Mart manager, Terry McGovern said: "At today’s sale, we had a lot more numbers through the yard, with a steadier trade. There was an easier appetite for cull ewes, with prices not as high as previous weeks.

"Hoggets seen a slight improvement, with ewes with lambs at foot a good trade throughout."

Dowra Mart will host its next sale on Friday 29 April for its general sale of sheep.

In pictures

This pen of two ewes with two lambs at foot sold for €140.

This pen of three ewes, all two years old, with two lambs at foot each sold for €164.

This pen of five cull ewes weighing 88kg sold for €185 (€2.10/kg).

This pen of eight cull ewes weighing 55kg went under the hammer for €145 (€2.64/kg).

This pen of nine cull ewes weighing 64kg went under the hammer for €98 (€1.53/kg)

This pen 10 ewe hoggets weighing 40kg sold for €137 (€3.43/kg).

This pen five ram lambs weighing 42kg sold for €167 (€3.98/kg).

This pen five ewe hoggets weighing 62kg sold for €169 (€2.73/kg).

This pen 10 ewe hoggets weighing 50kg sold for €165.

This pen 13 ewe hoggets weighing 50kg went under the hammer for €161 (€3.22/kg).

This pen 10 ewe hoggets weighing 47kg went under the hammer for €156 (€3.32/kg).