Hogget ewes sold up to a high of €285/head at the Suffolk-cross Cheviot show and sale held at Blessington Mart on Tuesday (August 10).

The breeding sale was held in conjunction with the Wicklow-based mart's weekly sale of lambs and ewes with a very strong demand seen, with customers aplenty, according to the mart's manager, John Doyle.

Looking at the trade for hogget ewes first, prices ranged from €200/head up to a tops, as already mentioned, of €285/head.

Prize winners - Hogget ewes:

Moving onto the ewe lambs, again a very good trade was seen. Prices ranged from €150/head up to a high of €252/head.

Prize winners - Ewe lambs:

Alongside the show and sale, the usual sale of lambs and cull ewes took place and was met with a good lively trade, with a good demand seen for fat and store lambs, in particular.

Heavy lambs generally made from €128/head up to a high of €136/head, with factory-type lambs making from €112/head up to a tops of €128/head.

Stores over 40kg traded from €100/head up to €112/head, while store lambs from 35-39/kg sold from €88/head to €103/head.

30-34kg stores made from €65/head up to €88/head.

Once again, heavy ewes were a very good trade and sold to a high of €190/head. Light store ewes sold back to €76/head.