Carnew Mart, Co. Wicklow, hosted its weekly sheep sale on Thursday (June 8) with a large showing of over 1,700 head of sheep on offer.

According to a sale report from the mart, fat lambs and ewes were in high demand from factory agents, butchers and northern buyers alike, leading to a full clearance on the day.

In the spring lamb sale, the top price went to a pen of six ram lambs with an average weight of 61kg that sold for €197/head or €3.23/kg. €247 was the top-priced ewe in the sale.

Sample spring lamb prices from Thursday’s sale at Carnew Mart:

  • 61kg at €197 or €3.23/kg;
  • 49kg at €186 or €3.80/kg;
  • 49kg at €183 or €3.74/kg;
  • 43kg at €173 or €4.02/kg;
  • 41kg at €155 or €3.78/kg.

Store ewes sold from €110-130/head for the feeder-type ewes and from €150-180/head for the fleshy ewes.

Store lambs are beginning to appear at the Co. Wicklow-based mart venue and are also meeting a firm trade with lambs between 35-40kg selling for between €100 and €115 with their weight.

Sample ewe prices from Thursday’s sale at Carnew Mart:

  • 96kg at €220 or €2.29/kg;
  • 94kg at €204 or €2.17/kg;
  • 98kg at €201 or €2.05/kg.

Sample store lamb prices from Thursday’s sale at Carnew Mart:

  • 36kg at €136 or €3.78/kg;
  • 38kg at €150 or €3.95/kg;
  • 40kg at €157 or €3.92/kg.

Ewes with lambs at foot witnessed a strong trade too, with young ewes that had twin lambs at foot selling at anything from €210 to €255.

Older-type ewes with twin lambs at foot sold for anything from €170 to €215. Young ewes with single lambs at foot sold from €170 to €210 while aged mountain ewes a little over one lamb/ewe sold for prices ranging from €115 to €162.