Sheep Ireland’s 15th Annual Multi-Breed Ram sale occurred on Saturday, August 23rd, in Kilkenny Mart.

The Sheep Ireland sale still remains to be the largest catalogued ram sale in Ireland. The sale saw an increase in catalogued entries of 21% on last years sale, with the final catalogued number at 629 rams meeting the strict entry criteria. This sales high entry criteria ensures that only the most engaged performance recording flocks can enter (DQI of 85% or higher), and only the highest ranking performance recorded rams (minimum 5 stars in the Replacement or Terminal Index).

This strict criteria provides confidence for potential buyers that if they come to the sale they will find a ram that meets expectations and he will increase the profitability of the flock.

The sale had an overall clearance of 80%, with an average price of €913. Prices of the sale ranged €250 to €4,600 with rams available for both commercial and pedigree breeders.

Breed	Average price (€)	Lowest price (€)	Top price (€)	No. through the ring	Clearance %
Belclare	735	250	1450	43	93%
Beltex	850	650	1100	4	100%
Blue Texel	800	800	800	1	100%
Border Leicester	515	480	550	2	100%
Charollais	945	450	1850	162	74%
Dutch Spotted	725	600	850	4	100%
Easycare	850	750	950	3	100%
Galway	300	250	350	3	67%
Hampshire Down	575	450	700	2	100%
Lleyn	474	250	850	5	100%
Rouge de l’Ouest	538	450	700	5	80%
Suffolk	890	350	2100	111	77%
Texel	1026	450	4600	195	84%
Vendeen	597	500	800	29	52%
Zwartbles	350	350	350	1	100%
Grand Total	913	250	4600	570	80%

Since the start of Sheep Ireland, the number of pedigree breeders’ performance recording has increased year on year and each year the number of commercial farmers searching for €uro-Stars before they purchase is also rising. Again this year, performance-recorded rams are in extra demand due to the Sheep Improvement Scheme Genotyped Ram Task. Lowland Flocks that choose this task must select a ram that is 4 or 5 Star on the Replacement or Terminal Index based on a genomic evaluation and be a scrapie Type 1,2 or 3. Hill flocks can also choose the lowland option or purchase a hill ram that is DNA sire verified and Scrapie type 1,2 or 3.

With the highest levels of entry criteria required to enter, all rams present on the day are the some of the most genetically elite available in the country.

• Every breeder was required to have a Data Quality Index (DQI) of 85% or greater.
• Every flock in the sale must be genetically linked.
• Every ram must have passed a thorough physical inspection (5% of rams were rejected on the morning of the sale based on physical inspections).
• Every ram in the sale must be 5 Star (Top 20% of the breed) on either the Replacement or Terminal Index based on a genomic evaluation.
• 100% of rams were DNA parentage (sire and dam) verified to increase the confidence of potential buyer.
• Every ram in the sale must have a Genomic Evaluation.
• Scrapie type 1,2 or 3.

 

Vendeen 

The Vendeens were first into Ring 1 on the day. There were 29 rams through the ring with a clearance of 52%. Breed average was €597 an increase on last years average price, with prices ranging from €500-800 on the day. The top priced lot of the day was a December born lamb, lot 26 from breeder Mark Keenaghan which sold for €800. This ram was ranked in the top 3% on the Replacement index and top 2% on the Terminal index.

Charollais 

Following the Vendeens in Ring 1 were the Charollais with 162 rams through the ring on the day and a clearance of 74%. Charollais were again this year the second largest entries per breed in the sale. The average sale price was €945 with prices ranging from €450 to €1850. Highest price on the day went to breeder Bernard Casey for his ram lamb in at lot 67. This ram was ranked in the top 1% of the terminal index and the top 1% for Days to Slaughter for the Charollais breed.

Texel

The Texels were the largest entry per breed again this year with 195 rams through the ring on the day and a breed clearance of 84%.  The Texels ran through Ring 2 on the day, securing an average price of €1,026. Prices ranged from €450 to €4,600 with the higher end prices sold to pedigree breeders. Top price of the day across all breeds was a Texel lamb, lot 348 from breeders John & Michael Donohoe. The february born lamb was ranked in the top 6% for Daughters milk and fetched a price of €4,600 purchased by a fellow pedigree breeder.

Belclare 

The Belclare breed was the first through ring 3 on the day, with 43 rams on offer for the breed. The Belclares saw a clearance of 93% with prices ranging from €250 to €1,450 with a ram available for every budget. Top price lamb for the Beclalres was from breeder Daniel Mckenna, lot 458 fetching €1,450. The February triplet lamb was ranked in the top 1% of Belclares on the Terminal Index, and the top 2% on the Replacement Index. The average price of Belclares on the day was €735.

Lleyn

The Lleyns had 5 rams through the ring on the day with all 5 lots sold. Prices ranged from €250 to €850 with the breeds average equaling €474. The Lleyns had a 100% clearance on the day. There were 3 hoggets and 2 lambs available, with the top priced lot of the breed going to lot 476, a hogget bred by Jean Wade selling for €850. The ram was ranked in the top 1% for Days to Slaughter and the Top 1% on the Terminal index of the lleyn breed.

Border Leicester 

There were 2 Border Leicester ram lambs available on the day, lots 480 and 481 both from breeder Coote Geelan with 100% clearance. Lot 481 was the higher price of the two at €550, the February born lamb was ranked in the top 1% on the Terminal Index for the breed and top 2% Days to Slaughter. The Border Leicester breed average was €515.

Beltex 

The 4 Beltex lambs through the ring from breeders John & Dudley Maher had a 100% clearance for the breed, with a range of €650 to €1100. The breed average was €850. The top priced lamb was second into the ring for the breed lot 483, the ram was a double 5 star lamb ranked top 4% on the Replacement index for the Beltex breed.

Blue Texel 

There was one Blue Texel available on the day, lot 486, sold for €800. The ram was ranked in the top 11% for Number of Lambs Born of the Blue Texel breed and was presented by William Tait.

Dutch Spotted 

There were 4 Dutch Spotted available on the day through Ring 3 and the breed had a 100% clearance rate with a price range of €600 – €850. Top priced lot for the breed was the first into the ring for the breed from Noel & Tommy Claffey lot 487. The ram was ranked in the top 7% on the Replacement index and sold for €850. The Dutch Spotted breed average was €725.

Easycare

There were 3 Easycare hogget’s available for sale from breeder William J Hutchinson. The breed had 100% clearance as all 3 rams were sold with a breed average of €850, and a price range of €750 to €950. The top priced Easycare was lot 492, a March born hogget ranked 5 stars on the Terminal Index.

Hampshire Down 

There were two Hampshire Down’s available on the day, both from breeder Adrian Curtin. The breed had 100% clearance with both lots sold at an average of €575. Top price was lot 495, selling for €700. The ram lamb was ranked in the Top 3% of Hampshire Downs on the Terminal Index and the Top 5% Days to Slaughter.

Rouge de l’Ouest

There were 5 lambs through the ring on the day for the Rouge de l’Ouest breed. The breed had an 80% clearance with only one lot going unsold with a breed average of €538. The price range was from €450 with the top price lamb again this year awarded to breeders Oliver & Claire Keaskin for lot 499 at €700. The lamb was ranked in top 1% on the Replacement index for the breed and top 11% on the Terminal Index, a ram with strong figures in both indexes.

Galway

There were 3 Galways available from breeders Karl & Tony Scanlon. There was a 67% clearance , with an average of  €300 for the breed. The price range was from €250 with the top priced Galway sold at €350 for lot 504, again this ram was a double 5 star ram ranked in the top 1% and the top 2% on the Replacement and Terminal indexes for the Galway breed.

Zwartbles

There was 100% clearance for the breed with one Zwartble through the ring on the day, a January lamb from breeder Deirdre Heavey, lot 506. The ram lamb was ranked in the top 6% for lamb survivability for the breed and was sold for €350.

Suffolk 

The last breed into Ring 3 were the Suffolk’s. There was 111 Suffolk’s available on the day, with a breed clearance of 77% and an average price of €890. The Suffolk’s ranged from €350 to €2,100 ensuring a ram for every budget. Top priced lot on the day was awarded to Gregory Rossiter for his hogget ram, lot 540 sold to a pedigree breeder for €2,100. The top priced ram was again a double 5 star ram ranked in the top 2% on the Replacement index and Top 7% on the Terminal Index.

Finally, Sheep Ireland would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the running of the sale, including our sponsors FBD, Cormac Tagging and Weatherbys Scientific, the auctioneers, the mart staff, ram inspectors, breeders and buyers.