There was plenty of demand for breeding females at Roscommon Mart on Saturday (September 3) at the South of Ireland Lleyn Sheep Society sale.
Only one pen of ewe lambs failed to find a new home at the sale, which had a good turnout overall.
The senior ewes set the tone, topping at €310/head twice.
Brian Matthews from Killeigh, Co. Offaly sold both pens, the first of which comprising three-year-olds and then second comprising two-year-olds. Matthews sold another pen at €260/head.
The shearling ewe sale saw a 100% clearance and was topped by Alan McDonald, also from Killeigh, with a price of €310/head.
McDonald sold a further two pens at €270/head and Fergal Leonard sold a pen at €280/head.
31 pens sold for over the €200 mark on the day. Many pens found new homes at €180-190/head with a handful of smaller sheep changing hands for €150-170/head.
The ewe lamb sale was topped by the Brummitts from Dromard, Co. Longford who sold a pen of six for €180/head. Patrick Bobbett sold his ewe lambs for €170/head while G. O’Connor sold the first pen into the ring for €150/head.
Stronger tupping lambs were changing hands for €130 and above. A run of smaller-running lambs found new homes at €70-105/head.
Ormston Knuckles, sired by a Whitcastles ram, from Alan McDonald hit the top price of €960.
Brian Matthews sold Quarrymount Kaiser, sired by Mileview Hamish, for €900. Matthews also sold Quarrymount Knockput, sired by the same ram, for €820.
The rams saw buyers being selective with prices generally ranging from €400 to €720/head.
Top and average prices at Lleyn sale:
- Senior ewes sold to €310 and averaged at €233;
- Shearling ewes sold to €310 and averaged €213;
- Ewe lambs sold to €180 and averaged €114.50;
- Rams sold to €960 and averaged €573.