Tullow Mart in Co. Carlow hosted its weekly sheep sale on Tuesday, March 24 with a "strong opening" seen for spring lamb prices on the day.

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, mart manager Eric Driver said that 38kg spring lambs were making €278/head while up to €288/head was paid for 44kg lambs.

"This trade was driven by wholesale customers and local butchers," Driver said.

Commenting on the hogget trade, Driver said it "remained equally strong", with up to €236/head paid for hoggets.

The 48-55kg fleshed hoggets sold briskly, making from €210-€230/head while the cast ewe trade "stepped it up a gear", with the heavy ewes selling up to €290/head while the fleshed 70-85kg ewes sold for up to €3.20/kg.

"The positive vibe ringside is warmly welcomed by farmers after a very restricted trade over past number of months," the mart manager said.

Dispersal

Tullow Mart is set to host a dispersal sale of a 230-ewe flock on Tuesday, March 31, at 1:00pm.

The ewes are described as Suffolk/continental breed crosses scanned in-lamb carrying 2.1 lambs/ewe to Charolais and Texel rams.

These ewes are due to lamb from April 1.

Driver said: "These ewes come to the ring in tremendous order having been outwintered.

"The sale is a complete dispersal sale from hoggets to full mouth ewes."