Ennis held their weekly sheep sale on Monday. Turnout on the day was good with close to 700 sheep on offer. There was a selection of factory fit lambs, store lambs and cull ewes for sale.

Cull ewes

Cull ewes averaged €2.32/kg in the sale. Top price in the cull ewes went to a ewe weighing 111kg, selling for €258.

Factory fit lambs

The price of factory fit lambs was up on recent weeks, with increased demand. There were a few lots of very heavy lambs on offer, this included a pen of 8 heavy lambs weighing 56.5kg selling for €225 (€3.98/kg) and a pen of 3 lambs weighing 62kg selling for €229 (€3.69/kg). There was a range of lighter factory fit lambs which were in high demand. A pen of 14 lambs weighing 47kgs sold for €183 (€3.89/kg), and a pen of 12 lambs weighing 50kgs sold for €202 (€4.04/kg).

Store lambs

Stores were in great demand, with a lot of farmers buying lambs for surplus grass. A pen of 7 store lambs weighing 38kgs sold for €154 each (€4.05/kg). Lighter stores were also strong, with a pen of 11 lambs weighing 35.5kgs selling for €139 (€3.91/kg)

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal Ennis mart manager Martin Mc Namara commented, “there is a better market in recent weeks for heavy lambs which is helping to drive up the prices”.