Firmer trade for heavy lambs and mid weight lambs at Markethill Mart

Good quality store lambs were also firmer on the week. Average quality stores sold at similar rates to previous weeks.

Good quality heavy lambs sold to 716p/k to a Ballynahinch farmer for 11 quality Texel lambs, 25.5k at £182.50.

A Ballinderry farmer received 658p/k for 24k at £158.

Main demand for good quality heavy lambs from 590-637p/k with several pens selling to £160-£176 each.

Good quality midweights sold to 690p/k for 20k at £138 for a Hilltown farmer, followed by 687p/k for 23k at £158 from a Rathfriland producer.

All good quality midweights sold steadily from 610-670p/k.

Another large turnout of stores returned a firmer trade for good quality pens.

Light stores sold to 767p/k for 15k at £115 for a Hilltown farmer, followed by 760p/k for 15k at £114 from a Kilcoo producer.

Several more pens sold readily from 680-753p/k and stronger stores sold to 750p/k for 18.8k at £141 for a Hilltown farmer, followed by 706p/k for 17k at £120 from a Newry farmer.

A Hilltown producer received 703p/k for 17.5k at £123.

All good quality pens sold from 650-687p/k.

The 280 cull ewes sold up to £180 with all good quality ewes from £130-£170, second quality from £90-£120 and the poorest types from £60-£85 each.

In the breeding ring ewe hoggets sold up to £285, several more pens from £220-£245 each with others from £175-£210.

Breeding rams sold up to £760, £660 and £620, with several from £320-£550 each.

Heavy lambs

Ballynahinch producer 25.5k £182.50 716p/k: Ballinderry producer 24k £158 658p/k: Markethill producer 24.5k £156 637p/k: Armagh producer 25k £158 632p/k: Keady producer 26k £164 631p/k: Warrenpoint producer 25.6k £160 625p/k: Newtownhamilton producer 28.5k £176 618p/k: Newry producer 25k £152 608p/k: Newtownhamilton producer 24.2k £147 607p/k: Keady producer 25.7k £156 607p/k and Newtownhamilton producer 27k £163.50 606p/k.

Midweight lambs

Hilltown producer 20k £138 690p/k: Rathfriland producer 23k £158 687p/k: Warrenpoint producer 23k £155 6674p/k: Kilkeel producer 23.2k £155 668p/k: Armagh producer 21k £140 667p/k: Ballinderry producer 20.4k £134.50 659p/k: Rathfriland producer 22k £145 659p/k: Kilkeel producer 22.9k £150 655p/k: Rathfriland producer 20k £131 655p/k and Ballinderry producer 21.4k £140 654p/k.

Light store lambs

Hilltown producer 15k £115 767p/k: Kilcoo producer 15k £114 760p/k: Lislea producer 15.8k £119 753p/k: Hilltown producer 16k £120 750p/k: Loughgilly producer 14.7k £110 748p/k: Dundrum producer 14.3k £107 748p/k and Markethill producer 14.7k £109 742p/k.

Strong store lambs

Hilltown producer 18.8k 141 750p/k: Newry producer 17k £120 706p/k: Hilltown producer 17.5k £123 703p/k: Rathfriland producer 19.5k £134 687p/k: Rathfriland producer 17.5k £118.50 677p/k and Newry producer 17.6k £118.50 673p/k.