Sheep kill: Spring lamb throughput breaks 40,000

Last week’s sheep kill (week ending June 18) witnessed an increase on the week before as processing moved back to a five-day week.

Spring lamb throughput broke 40,000 head last week, while hogget supplies fell once again. Ewe throughput also witnessed a sizeable increase, in light of a bolstering trade that has seen prices reach as high as €4.30/kg.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 53,237 sheep were processed last week, representing an increase of 5,018 head from the week before.

The number of hoggets processed continues to get smaller, with 3,770 head slaughtered last week; this is a decrease of 1,967 head from the week prior.

Ewe and ram throughput witnessed a sizeable increase last week, of 1,532 head, totalling 6,864 head.

Furthermore, spring lamb supplies increased last week to 42,598 head, which represents a rise of 5,448 head on the previous week.

Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending June 18):

Hoggets: 3,770 head (-1,967 or -34.28%);
Ewes and rams: 6,864 head (+1,532 or +28.73%);
Spring lambs: 42,598 head (+5,448 or +14.66%);
Total: 53,237 head (+5,018 or +10.40%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,248,644 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 885,785 have been hoggets, 233,767 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (129,003) and a small portion of light lambs (89 head).

If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2021, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is up over 144,955 head; 193,664 more hoggets have been processed, while 4,394 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered.

Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by over 44,000 head.

Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending June 18):