Hoggets reach €275 & lambs peak at €140 at Mayo Mule and Greyface Group sale

“Purchasers from all over,” made their presence felt at the two-day Mayo Mule and Greyface Group’s premier sale at Aurivo Ballinrobe Mart last weekend, according to Teresa Gibsey.

The mart’s assistant manager reported that the sale “was very successful with 900 hoggets on offer on Friday and 1,800 lambs on Saturday”.

“There was a good clearance on both days. Congratulations to all the prize winners. The society organised transport for the buyers.”

“Tops on Friday for the hoggets rose to €275 and this category an average of €220 on the day. Saturday lambs made to €260 and had an average of €140,” she reported.

Friday prize winners:

Greyface:

• 1^st– Patricia Heneghan – Churchfield, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo – 60kg, €205, €3.42/kg;
• 2^nd– John Heneghan – Churchfield, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo – 57kg, €180, €3.16/kg;
• 3^rd– Peter Browne – Innishcoogue, The Neale, Co. Mayo – 54kg, €175, €3.24/kg.

Mayo Mule:

• 1^st– Frank Morahan – Coolisduff, Kilamine, Co. Mayo – 81kg, €270, €3.33/kg;
• 2^nd– John Morahan – Woodview Farm, Coolisduff, Kilmaine, Co. Mayo – 72kg, €255, €3.54/kg’
• 3^rd– John Gibbons – Lakelawns, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo – 70kg, €275, €3.95/kg.

Saturday prize winners:

GreyFace:

• 1^{st –} Peter Browne – Innishcoogue, The Neale, Co. Mayo.

Mayo Mule:

• 1^st– Tom Staunton – Shanvallyard, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo – 52.5kg, €260, €4.95/kg;
• 2^nd– Patrick Burke – Cregduff, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo – 46kg, €230, €5.00/kg;
• 3^rd– Kevin Staunton – Shanvallyard, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo – 42.5kg, €185, €4.35/kg;
• 4^th– Tom Staunton – Tawnagh, Srah, Co. Mayo – 47kg, €170, €3.62/kg;
• 5^th– Raymond Prendergast – Letterineen, Killitiane, Co. Mayo – 43kg, €165, €3.84/kg.

Sale

Ahead of the sale, a spokesperson for the group told That’s Farming editor, Catherina Cunnane, in this news article:

“The majority of lambs on offer on the day will be fit to breed this season, and there will also be a percentage of lambs available to be run over as hoggets for next season.”

“The Mayo Mule ewe has become more and more popular over the years. This is due to their great prolificacy, mothering ability hardiness, ease of care and an ability to produce quality lambs at a fast rate.”

“The Mayo Mule ewe is able to produce two good, even quality lambs a year. Many of our Mule ewe lambs at this sale are able to be bred in their first year.”

“These strong ewe lambs have a lambing percentage of 1.2 to 1.6, with this return in the first year your investment is well on the way to being recouped.

The spokesperson continued: “We, as a group, have found that our repeat custom has been very strong, with customers coming back year on year to purchase our quality stock.”

“The price of this sale last year for lambs ranged from €120 – €160 for lambs presented at the sale, with a 100% clearance of lambs on the day.”

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