Tullow Mart in Co. Carlow hosted its weekly sheep sale on Tuesday, January 13, with 1,850 head of sheep on offer.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, mart manager Eric Driver noted that trade has been "struggling to hold the momentum of the previous week - most noticeably in the fat hogget section".

Fleshed hoggets over 52kg sold from €180-€186/head with some ewe-lamb types suitable for breeding selling to a top call of €196/head.

Fleshed hoggets from 46-52kg sold from €176-€184/head with the wholesales "not as active for the heavier-types".

Fleshed hoggets from 43-46kg sold "briskly" from €164-€174/head and meet "most demand from both factory agents and wholesalers".

Driver suggested that this is "a worrying trend for the sheep trade".

Ewes

He said that cast ewes continued in the same spirit as the previous week, with heavy ewes strongly sought after and selling to a top call of €252/head with €2.30-€2.50/kg paid for these.

Driver added that the tight, continental ewes were "very sought after".

Light ewes weighing from 65-80kg met a strong wholesaler trade and sold from €2.35-€2.60/kg while feeding ewes sold to a strong farmer trade.

The in-lamb ewes sold from €220-€250 for more aged ewes carrying approximately 1.5 lambs.

Also taking place on the day was a dispersal sale of 100 ewes scanned carrying 1.85 lambs. These averaged €300/head.

Ewes and lambs

The first entry of ewes and lambs will hit the ring at Tullow Mart next Tuesday, January 20, with 30 ewes with lambs at foot on offer.

The mart will also host a dispersal sale of 100 in-lamb ewes next Tuesday. These ewes are due from March 10, carrying about 1.75 lambs.