Ennis Mart’s manager, Martin McNamara, reported a super trade at Monday’s (April 12) sheep sale, with a very strong demand seen across the board, but in particular for hoggets and cast ewes.
Numbers presented for sale at the Clare-based mart were up on the previous week, with 300 sheep on offer in total.
He said that hoggets outshone the spring lambs on the day, with hogget prices topping €186/head for 10 at 66kg.
This top price was closely followed by a pen of 65kg hoggets that sold for €185/head.
In saying that, spring lambs were still a very sharp trade with prices reaching €183/head for two at 54kg, with many of the spring lambs over 40kg making over €160/head.
The cull ewe trade, as seen at many other marts, was flying, with prices reaching a high of €175 for heavy cull ewes. The majority of those fleshed ewes on offer at Ennis on Monday made from €149/head up to €170/head, with the lighter store ewes selling back to €57/head.
Sample spring lamb prices:
- Two at 54kg sold for €183/head or €3.39/kg;
- Six at 43.5kg sold for €176/head or €4.04/kg;
- Four at 41.5kg sold for €163/head or €3.93/kg;
- 12 at 45.5kg sold for €175/head or €3.85/kg;
- Three at 46kg sold for €174/head or €3.78/kg;
- Eight at 41kg sold for €168/head or €4.10/kg.
Sample hogget prices:
- 10 at 66kg sold for €186/head or €2.82/kg;
- Four at 65kg sold for €185/head or €2.85/kg;
- Seven at 55.5kg sold for €183/head or €3.29/kg;
- Eight at 41kg sold for €139/head or €3.39/kg;
- Seven at 44kg sold for €144/head or €3.27/kg;
- Two at 54kg sold for €180/head or €3.33/kg.