An entry of 1500 sheep at Markethill on Wednesday 18^th October returned a firmer trade for all classes, particularly fat lambs and stores.

Heavy lambs sold to £84 each. Several pens sold from £79 to £83 each. Sale average for heavy lambs was 25.4kilos @ £80.50 each. Top rate of 327p per kilo for 24kilos @ £78.50 each and for 24.5kilos @ £80 each. All good quality heavies from 315p to 326p per kilo.

Good quality middleweight lambs sold steadily from 325p to 362p per kilo for 21kilos @ £76 each for a Comber farmer.

Store trade was noticeably firmer with strong stores selling to 385p per kilo for 18.2kilos @ £70 each and 19.9kilo lambs sold at £76 each. Light stores sold from 380p to 420p per kilo for 11.9kilos @ £50 each followed by 14.8kilos at £60 and 405p per kilo.

Good quality cull ewes sold from £60 to £81 each.

HEAVY LAMBS

Whitecross farmer : 24k £78.50 327p : Middletown farmer : 24.5k £80 327p : Poyntzpass farmer : 24.2k £79 327p : Armagh farmer : 24.2k £78.80 326p : Moy farmer : 24k £78 325p : Scarva farmer : 25.5k £82.50 324p : Scarva farmer : 25.7k £83 323p : Markethill farmer : 24.5k £79 322p

MIDDLEWEIGHT LAMBS

Comber farmer : 21k £76 362p : Foley farmer : 20k £72 360p : Cullyhanna farmer : 21k £74.50 : Ballynagalliagh farmer : Richhill farmer : 20.4k £71 348p : Glenanne farmer : 22k £76 346p : Richhill farmer : 23.2k £80 345p :

STRONGER STORES

Foley farmer : 18.2k £70 385p : Loughgilly farmer : 18.5k £71 384p : Kilcoo farmer : 19.9k £76 382p : Cullyhanna farmer : 18.5k £70.50 381p : Galbally farmer : 19k £72 379p : Kilkeel farmer : 17.7k £67 379p : Moy farmer : 18.3k £69 377p

LIGHT STORES

Keady farmer : 11.9k £50 420p : Loughgilly farmer : 14.8k £60 405p : Keady farmer : 17.3k £70 405p : Draperstown farmer : 15.4k £62 403p : Galbally farmer : 17k £68 400p : Galbally 16.3k £64.50 396p