The Borris Ewe Breeders’ Association is set to hold its 58th annual show and sale this Saturday, August 14, at Borris Mart, Co. Carlow.
The sale will be taking place once again on a Saturday for only the third time ever, as it was traditionally held on a Thursday.
The sale of ewe lambs will start at 10:30a.m. This will be closely followed by ewe hoggets at 12:30p.m, while the sale of the two and three-year-old ewes will commence directly after the hoggets.
The show and sale will encompass over 2,000 sheep, and includes:
- 1,250 hoggets;
- 800 ewe lambs;
- 100 two and three-year-old ewes.
Speaking to AgriLand ahead of the show and sale, Maurice O’Donoghue, the chairperson of the association, said: “The Borris ewe, which is a cross of a Suffolk and Cheviot, is renowned for its mothering abilities and it has formed the backbone of many Irish sheep flocks down through the years.
“They are popular [the speckled-faced ewes] and we have seen buyers come from all parts of the country – such as Co. Cork and Co. Sligo – in the last few years to source these type of ewes.
“A combination of Suffolk and Cheviot genetics gives the Borris ewe, and her progeny, extra growth, shape and prolificacy. When crossed with a terminal ram, such as a Texel, Charollais or even Suffolk, she’ll produce an ideal factory or butcher lamb carcass.”
After this Saturday, there will two more chances to get a hold of some new stock, with the Borris Ewe Breeders’ Association holding two further sales on Saturday, August 28, and the third and final sale on Saturday, September 11.