The most recent sale at Loughrea Mart showed there was an "active" trade for ram lambs for export there.

The sale took place on Thursday, June 6, where it was a reported "good size sale", with just one lot of sheep left unsold on the day.

However, it was the ram lambs that were "the talk of the day" as the demand for the export market was "very active" at the sale.

Lambs in general were averaging at €4.00/kg, while cull ewes were making up to €2.00/kg.

Both factory agents and wholesalers were reportedly "keen for the cull ewes" at Loughrea Mart.

Sample lamb prices

55kg €220 -(€4.00/kg);
51.4kg €204 -(€3.96/kg);
48.4kg €198 -(€4.09/kg);
44kg €197 - (€4.48/kg);
46kg €196 -(€4.26/kg);
42.8kg €170 -(€3.97/kg);
42.6kg €166 -(€3.90/kg);
39kg €157 -(€3.87/kg).

Cull ewe prices

91.5kg €180 -(€1.97/kg);
85kg €170 -(€2.00/kg);
91.6kg €160 -(€1.75/kg);
82kg €160 -(€1.95/kg);
78.5kg €150 -(€1.91/kg).

At the sale on Monday, June 3 at Ennis Mart, there was a "slightly smaller sale" with 550 on offer.

There were good quality lambs on offer and these averaged €4.13/kg, with a top call of €4.46/kg.

Entries of hoggets averaged €3.11/kg on the day.

There was a large entry of cull ewes which met "a great trade", topping out at €227 for a ewe weighing 113kg and €225 for a ewe weighing 102kg. The majority of the well fleshed ewes all made over €2/kg.

Spring lambs:

49kgs - €218 - €4.44/kg;
50kgs - €220 - €4.40/kg;
46kgs - €201 - €4.36/kg;
45.5kgs - €190 - €4.17/kg;
41kgs - €183 - €4.46/kg;
39kgs - €158 - €4.05/kg;
42.5kgs - €177 - €4.16/kg.

Hoggets:

62kgs - €200 - €3.22/kg;
53kgs - €176 - €3.32/kg;
48.5kgs - €164 - €3.38/kg;
47.5kgs - €170 - €3.57/kg;
63kgs - €192 - €3.04/kg.

At the sale on Monday, June 3 at Raphoe Mart, top prices for spring lambs reached €206/head, while fat ewes sold from €100/head to €226/head.

Spring lambs sold at:

€100 to €150 for 30-37kg;
€150 to €180 for 38-45kg;
€180 to €206 for 45-55kg.

Ewes with one lamb sold from €180/team to €400/team, while ewes with two lambs at the sale sold from €200/team to €300/team.

There was a "brisk trade" reported around the ring for the sheep sale on Wednesday, June 5 at Manorhamilton Mart.

There was a top price of €402 for two second crop ewes and four Blue Texel lambs at the sale.

Spring lambs

44kg- €183;
42kg- €171;
43kg- €174;
42kg- €160.

Hoggets

25kg- €190;
45kg- €144;
35kg- €116.

Cull ewes

70kg- €150;
76kg- €157;
80kg- €164;
86kg- €170.

Ewes and lambs

Two ewes and four lambs- €402;
One ewe and two lambs- €340;
One ewe and two lambs- €288;
One ewe and two lambs- €286;
Two ewes and three lambs- €278.