The spring lamb throughput in factories is up some 54% in two weeks, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture.
Some 23,764 spring lambs were killed last week up from 10,841 just two weeks ago. On the other hand supplies off hogget’s seem to be tightening. With a kill of 13,677, the hogget kill is down over 46% over the past two weeks.
A similar situation is being reported in the UK. EBLEX notes that this Monday was the first day of the year so far when more new season lambs were sold than old season lambs at GB auction marts.
It says with new season numbers now coming out strongly − up 53% on the week − and old season numbers falling − down 19% on the week − 52% of lambs sold on Monday May 19 were new season.
With new season lambs coming forward quicker, after a better season and the expectation of a larger 2014 lamb crop, new season numbers were up 34%on the corresponding day of 2013. With fewer old season lambs carried over from last year these numbers were down four per cent on the year. At this point last year, only 44% of lambs sold were new season, as supplies were slow to come forward.