Some 3,000 sheep were on offer at Carnew Sheep Mart on Thursday, October 10. The sale saw five classes of sheep on offer which included: Cast ewes; rams; breeding ewes; hoggets; and lambs.
The overall trade was steady, with a high clearance rate reported; however, it was clear to see there was very little bite around the ring and farmers were anxious to get stock sold.
One farmer, in particular, said: “At the moment, the factory and mart trade is bad. I entered 15 lambs into the sale today and usually I would hold on to them for the winter.
“However, this year, it is not worth my while with the way the market is at the moment.
“The store lamb trade is doing OK and that is the reason why I am selling them now, while I have the chance of making money on them,” he concluded.
On offer at the sale were:
- 2,000 ewe, wether and ram lambs;
- 500 cast ewes;
- 130 rams;
- 200 hoggets.
Ewe lambs
There was an active trade for all classes of lambs on offer at Carnew Mart. The average price for ewe lambs on the day ranged from €70/head up to a top price of €107/head.
There were very few pens of ram and wether lambs on offer. However, these lots were a steady trade, with a high clearance rate reported.
Furthermore, ram lamb prices ranged from €68/head up to a top price of €92/head, with wether lambs achieving a top price of €84/head.
Click on a thumbnail in the gallery (below) to open up a full-size image; once opened you can scroll sideways to see the next picture. Refer to each caption to see details of each lot, including the hammer/sale price.
- This pen of 10 ewe lambs weighing 37.8kg sold for €80/head
- This pen of 11 ewe lambs weighing 35.5kg sold for €76/head
- This pen of 20 ewe lambs weighing 33.2kg sold for €71.50/head
- This pen of 11 ewe lambs weighing 29.5kg sold for €74/head
- This pen of six ram lambs sold for €68/head
- This pen of nine ewe lambs sold for €76/head
- This pen of seven ewe lambs weighing 37.7kg sold for €80/head
- This pen of three ewe lambs weighing 39.3kg sold for €83.50/head
- This pen of five wether lambs weighing 41.2kg sold for €81/head
Sample lamb prices:
- 18 ewe lambs: 42kg – €87.50/head;
- Four ewe lambs: 28kg – €69.50/head;
- 10 ewe lambs: 43.6kg – €107/head;
- 11 ewe lambs: 43.5kg – €94/head;
- Five wether lambs: 41.2kg – €81/head.
Cast ewes
There was a large entry of cast ewes on offer, with plenty of buyers for these lots. Furthermore, prices ranged from €57/head up to a top price of €102/head.
However, the majority of these lots sold from €70/head to €80/head.
- This pen of 11 cast ewes sold for €75/head
- This pen of 10 cast ewes sold for €71/head
- This pen of eight cast ewes sold for €73/head
- This pen of 11 cast ewes sold for a top price of €102/head
- This pen of 11 cast ewes sold for €84/head
- This pen of 17 cast ewes sold for €88/head
Sample cast ewe prices:
- 11 cast ewes: €102/head;
- 11 cast ewes: €84/head;
- 17 cast ewes: €88/head;
- Five cast ewes: €74/head.
Rams
There was just over 130 rams on offer. A packed ringside could be seen, with what looked like plenty of buyers present; however, this was not reflected in the trade, as many rams did not find new homes.
There were multiple breeds on offer, which included: Suffolk; Charollais; Hampshire Down; Cheviot; Texel; and Blue Leicester rams.
The majority of the lots were made up of Suffolk type rams and these were the most popular with buyers. Many of these lots sold from €95 up to a top price of €450.
Furthermore, a three-year-old Texel sold for €460, while another Texel ram lamb sold for €170.
- This three-year-old Suffolk ram sold for €95
- This shearling Cheviot ram sold for €90
- This two-year-old Suffolk ram sold for €170
- These two Suffolk ram lambs sold for €190/head
- This shearling Texel ram sold for €360
- This three-year-old Suffolk ram sold for €180
Sample ram prices:
- Three-year-old Suffolk ram: €460;
- Three-year-old Charollais ram: €190;
- Shearling Suffolk ram: €260;
- Two-year-old Blue Leicester ram: €70;
- Charollais ram lamb: €190.
Breeding ewes and hoggets
The trade in the brood ring was active, with plenty of buyers for these lots. On the day, there were 17 lots of breeding ewes and hoggets on offer.
Furthermore, the majority of lots on offer sold from €92/head up to €160/head.
There was very few pens of hoggets on offer; however, the majority of these lots sold from between €145/head and €158/head.
The top price on the day was achieved by a pen of nine hoggets that sold for €166/head.
- This pen of nine hoggets sold for €166/head
- This pen of 10 ewes sold for €92/head
- This pen of 13 second and third crop ewes sold for €110/head
- This pen of 10 second and third crop ewes sold for €145/head
- This pen of 15 Cheviot hoggets sold for €150/head
- This pen of 10 third and fourth crop ewes sold for €135/head
- This pen of four Charollias ewes sold for €100/head
- This pen of nine fourth crop ewes sold for €90/head
- This pen of eight Suffolk cross ewes sold for €134/head
Sample breeding ewe and hogget prices:
- Five second and third crop Suffolk ewes: €158/head;
- Eight third and fourth crop Suffolk ewes: €140/head;
- Four second and third crop Charollais ewes: €100/head;
- Four third and fourth crop Borris type mule ewes: €130/head.