Breeders happy to pay €75 premium for ‘stars’
COMMERCIAL sheep breeders are willing to pay an average of €75 per ‘star’ extra to get higher star-rated rams to improve breeding in their flocks, analysis of prices at Sheep Ireland Sale 2017 has revealed.
Addressing industry stakeholders at the Sheep Ireland meeting at Athenry College, Kevin McDermot of Sheep Ireland described as “really positive” the message from the sale where farmers showed their clear preferences in the prices they were willing to pay for extra stars.
He said that the five-star rams sold for €700-€940, while prices for onestar rams ranged from €500-€600 with demand strongest for the rams with the extra terminal stars because the breeders believed that they “are going to see gains”.
He said that a continuation of the introduction of rams with higher genetics to flocks will see further gains for breeders into the future with further improvements in their flocks.
He said that Sheep Ireland sale for 2018 will be held on August 24 and he rejected a request from the breed representatives for a second seasonal sale in 2018, pointing out that he did not think it was necessary.
There was an entry of more than 300 rams for the 2017 sale at Tullamore.
He said that since Lamb Plus commenced in 2009 with 100 breeders it had increased to 700 breeders and the improvement in both replacement and terminal indexes has continued.