Marts: An exceptionally strong trade in all rings at Markethill Mart for sheep

1120 lambs sold in a noticeably stronger trade with good quality heavy lambs selling to a top of £170 with other pens at £159, £155, £151 and £150.

Main demand for good quality heavy lambs from 550 – 597p/k for 17 lambs (24.8k) at £148 from a Richhill farmer, followed by 579p/k for 24k at £139 from an Armagh farmer.

Good quality midweight lambs sold steadily from 560- 622p/k for 23k at £143 from a Bessbrook farmer, followed by 613p/k for 23k at £141 from a Keady producer.

A Ballinderry farmer sold 18 lambs 23k at £138.50 each.

Store lambs sold in the best trade so far this season with pens of light lambs to 614p/k for 15.3k at £94, followed by 610p/k for 15.9k at £97 from a Craigavon farmer.

Stronger stores sold to 585p/k for 25 lambs, 17.1k, at £100 from a Newry farmer, followed by 584p/k for 14 lambs, 17.8k, at £104 from a Rostrevor producer.

Main demand for good quality stores from 560 – 580p/k.

The 300 cull ewes sold in the best trade for some time to a top of £272 for a strong Texel ewe.

A further 10 pens of ewes sold from £190 - £234 each.

Main demand for fleshed ewes from £150 - £186, plainer ewes from £80 - £130 each.

In the breeding ring rams sold to a top of £870 for a Charollais shearling tip from a Keady producer.

The same owner received £740 for a Texel shearling and £620 for a Charollais/Beltex cross.

Several more tips sold from £250 to £500 each.

Breeding hoggets sold to a top of £270 paid for eight separate pens of ewes with others at £250, £240 and £230.

Main demand from £180 to £225 each.

Heavy lambs

Richhill producer 24.8k £148 597p/k: Armagh producer 24k £139 579p/k: Kilkeel producer 24.2k £139.50 577p/k: Bessbrook producer 24k £137.50 573p/k: Warrenpoint producer 26.3k £150.50 572p/k: Markethill producer 24k £137 571p/k: Aughnacloy producer 24k £136.50 569p/k: Kilkeel producer 28k £159 568p/k and Tandragee producer 25k £141 564p/k.

Midweight lambs

Bessbrook producer 23k £143 622p/k: Keady producer 23k £141 613p/k: Ballinderry producer 23k £138.50 602p/k: Loughgilly 22.9k £136.50 596p/k: Donaghcloney producer 22.9k £134.50 587p/k: Armagh producer 21k £123 586p/k: Kilkeel producer 20.1k £117 582p/k: Dromore producer 21.5k £124.50 579p/k and Loughgilly producer 23.5k £135.50 577p/k.

Light store lambs

Mullaghbawn producer 15.3k £94 614p/k: Craigavon producer 15.9k £97 610p/k: Omagh producer 14.7k £89 605p/k: Newry producer 16.5k £99.50 603p/k: Markethill producer 12k £72 600p/k and Madden producer 16.2k £96 593p/k.

Stronger store lambs

Newry producer 17.1k £100 585p/k: Rostrevor producer 17.8k £104 584p/k: Loughgall producer 19.5k £113 580p/k: Warrenpoint producer 18.1k £104 575p/k: Ballynahinch producer 18.8k £107.50 572p/k: Portadown producer 19.9k £112.50 565p/k: Craigavon producer 18.5k £104.50 565p/k: Warrenpoint producer 19.5k £110 564p/k and Belleeks producer 19k £105.50 555p/k.