Superstars Sale
Prices topped at €3,000 at the inaugural Spring Superstars Sale at Ballybofey and Stranorlar Co-op Livestock Mart on Saturday, May 28th, 2022.
A total of 65 lots, including Dutch Spotted, Valais Blacknose, Badger Faced Texel, Blue Texel, Texel, Charollais, and a selection of commercial show lambs, were catalogued for sale.
Headlining the hybrid multi-breed sale with one Dutch Spotted ewe lamb from his powerful performance-packed pen was Kevin McDermott of McDermott’s flock.
The sale-topper came in the form of lot 23, McDermott’s Freya, a Diamond Electro daughter out of Black Beauty, a “very powerful” import, which is “a very well-made lamb with a good head”, according to the breeder.
Meanwhile, on her heels at €2,900 was her stable mate, lot 21, another ewe lamb by the renowned £5,000 Diamond Electro and McDermott’s Dolly Parton.
According to McDermott, Challoch Bright Spark dam’s sisters have sold to €1,850.
The Donegal breeder described this entry as “one of the best lambs of the 2022 crop”.
Dutch Spotted Sheep
At the next best price of €2,250 was lot 29, McDermott’s Flawless, another ewe lamb by the same sire, and out of Beyonce, a “very well made” imported ewe. She is a full sister to lot 25 and is what he described as a “very flashy” lamb.
At €1,700 was lot 24, a ewe lamb, McDermott’s Fitbit, by McDermott’s Eminem and out of Glencoy Dandelion, by Challoch Bareskin, who has bred progeny to £11,000.
A February-2022-born ram lamb, McDermott’s Flo Rida, out of Diamond Electro, and Beyonce found a new home at €1,500.
He is the first son of Diamond Electro to be offered for sale and is what the Donegal native described as “one of the most heavily muscled lambs in the 2022 crop”.
In total, McDermott told That’s Farming that he pocketed an average price of €1,495 for 14 of his Dutch Spotted lambs.
Sheep prices
Other prices from this pen:
- 22: McDermott’s Fidelma: €1,200;
- 25: McDermott’s Falling Star: €1,200;
- 26: McDermott’s Fran: €1,120;
- 27: McDermott’s Flo Rida: €1,500;
- 30: McDermott’s Fortune: €1,320;
- 31: McDermott’s Fox: €1,220;
- 32: McDermott’s Film Star: €1,000;
- 33: McDermott’s Frida: €1,140;
- 34: McDermott’s Fernando: €700 (ram lamb);
- 35: McDermott’s Flash-Man: €500 (ram lamb).
Texels
Meanwhile, Michael Grant of the Umricam flock put a March-2021-born hogget (lot 5) out of Umricam Clement under the hammer for €520.
Lot number 7, another March-2021-born hogget, out of the same sire, changed hands for €520 and lot 8, out of the same sire and born in February 2021, found a new owner at €580.
The same vendor secured €500 for lot 48, a January-born ewe lamb out of Garngour Craftsman and €420 for another ewe lamb, also born in the same month and out of the same sire.
Beltex
Declan Robinson secured the top price for a Beltex lamb on the day with lot 46, Sheephaven Hillary.
The €1,000 February-2022-born ewe lamb is out of Buckles Fizzy Poppy and is what he described in the catalogue as “a real stylish show ewe lamb with great colours, muscle and style”.
Meanwhile, the Ardstwart Flock of Alison and Wade McCrabbe sold lot 10, Ardstewart Goldielocks, a March-2021-born hogget out of Hackney FM, for €700.
Meanwhile, the duo also secured €440 for lot 11, Ardstewart Glory Be, a March-2021-born hogget out of the same sire.
Valais Blacknose
Lot 15, a March-2022-born Valais Blacknose ewe lamb out of Beatties Charlie 11, sold with her receipt dam from Francis Cavanagh’s Wild Atlantic Flock for €1,800.
Meanwhile, their stablemate, lot 16, another March-2022-born ewe lamb, out of the same sire, with her recipient dam, went under the hammer at €2,200.
A March-2022-born Valais Blacknose ram lamb out of the same sire, made €340, while lot 20, another March-2022-born ram lamb out of the same ram, fell at €330.
Blue Texel
The top of the town in this category at €760 was Clive and Sandra Barnett’s Valley View Gabby, which they described as a “super young ewe lamb with style, power and ski “. The March-2022-born lamb is out of Beili Blues Euphoric and Derg Diamond.
Meanwhile, Martin McLaughlin of the Cashel View Flock put lot 39, a ewe lamb born in February-2022 and out of Beili Blues Euphoric under the hammer at €360, while lot 40, a half-sister, also born in the same month, made €600.
Badger Faced Texel
Lot 36, Ardstewart Dairy Duke, a January-born ewe lamb, from the McCrabbe’s flock, fetched €980, while a January-born ram lamb, Ardstewart Dave, found a new home at €680.
Charollais
William Tait of the Calhame flock secured €280 for lot 50, a ewe lamb, born in January and out of the 2,000gns Cloghala Warrior, a fifth-prize winner at the 2021 premier sale.
Also, he took home €300 for her stablemate, lot 51, a January-born ewe lamb out of Logie Durno.
Commercial lambs
Gary Smyth put a selection of Dutch Spotted x Dorset lambs under the hammer with prices topping at €270.
All entries were born on January 15th, 2022, and out of McDermott’s EBO and Dorset ewes.
- 59: €270
- 60: €260;
- 61: €260;
- 62: €240;
- 63: €210;
- 65: €230;
- 66: €160.
Martin McLaughlin sold the following Sufftex ewe lambs, born in February:
- 56: €980 (Sire: PB Suffolk and dam: PB Texel);
- 57: €440 (PB Dutch Spotted and dam: PB Texel).
Note: Report compiled with Stranorlar Co-op Livestock Mart’s assistance.
