AROUND THE SHEEP MARTS

Baltinglass

An improved trade, with butcher and factory lambs improved by €3-5/hd, forward stores up €3/hd and cast ewes €5/kg stronger, as both ringside and online buyers upped their game.

Breeding ewes scanned inlamb appeared reasonable value however at €150-190/hd.

The heavier hoggets/lambs included 52kgs to €157/hd with forty 50kg lambs averaging €3/kg at €150/hd.

Among the lighter stores better 36kg types sold from €116-118/hd, with five at 32kg averaging €109/hd.

Headford

The small entry of sheep last week included 35kg lambs that sold to €105/hd, with 40kgs making up to €130/hd.

Samples on the cull ewe side included 61kgs at €52/hd.

Carnew

A solid trade, with 2,025 on offer. Heavy butcher-type lambs topped out at €170, with factory lambs selling to €168/hd for 52kgs; in general, however, most factory lambs made €150-157/hd.

Forward stores around 40kg made €129-136/hd.

Lighter stores sold from €95-118 and included 31kgs at €103/hd, and 32kgs at €107/ hd.

Heavy cast ewes sold from €150-190/hd, with feeders making €120-150/hd.

Texel ewes carrying twins made up to €202/hd.

Dowra

A big sale with just over 1,500 sheep sold. The top call among the lambs saw thirty-eight at 51.5kg make €161.50/hd, with various selections at 48-49kgs averaging €158.50/hd.

Other prices of note included fifty lambs weighing 49.5kg at €158/hd, sixteen 47kgs at €156.50/hd and 45kgs at €148/hd.

Among the stronger prices for forward stores were ten 44kgs at €141.50, with fifteen at 41kgs making €136/hd.

On the breeding side seven ewes carrying 15 lambs sold to €188/hd, while seven carrying 14 lambs averaged €185/ hd. All ewes are due from March 17.