With 2026 almost half way through, you can trade at… Carnew Mart It remained strong across the sheep and dairy rings this year, according to yard manager Eugene Clune.
talking to AgrilandClune said the sheep trade started slowly at the start of the year before strengthening significantly from March onwards.
“The trade started out quiet enough probably for the first couple of months, but once we got to the first week of March, the hogs took off and finished a very good trade,” he said.
Clune noted that strong demand for hogs was especially important for farmers returning for store purchases.
Heavy pigs sold at auction last week for between €235 and €245 a head, while spring lamb prices also remained strong.
“There was a very strong entry of spring lambs last week, coming in at €240-€245 a head, which is great for the farmers who put in the effort during early lambing,” the yard manager commented.
In addition to lambs and pigs, there has been a steady demand for ewes around the paddock throughout the spring.
“There were a huge number of ewes here throughout the spring and they did a very strong trade, with good quality ewes reaching €500 on several occasions,” Clune added.
Dairy trade
Last Thursday (May 28) saw the last dairy sales of the year at Carnew Mart.
Clune described dairy trading this year as “very positive compared to the milk price”, although the market manager admitted he had concerns at the start of 2026.
“We would have started the year calm enough with the numbers and I would have been very nervous about trading at the beginning of the year,” he said.
However, the yard manager explained that a successful clearance sale held at the market during the end of January helped set the tone for the dairy trade in the spring.
According to Clune, Carnew Mart held between five and six dairy sales each month during March and April, with one sale at the end of March recording the highest average price for dairy sales in the market.
“We paid an average of €3,500 for a herd of cows at that auction in March,” he said.
“A lot of cows have sold for between €2,700 and €3,100 so far this year, which was not unexpected this early in the year.”
Clune also pointed to strong interest in Friesian bull calves and cow calves this year as a positive sign of the sector’s progress.
“The big advantage is that a lot of guys were interested in the bulls, heifers and Friesian heifers, which means the future is bright for the dairy industry,” he added.
