There has been a further rise in the number of lamb slaughterings at approved export plants, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.
During the week ending October 9, just over 46,260 lambs were slaughtered in Irish plants, an increase of 1,756 head or 3.8% on the week before.
This increase in lamb throughput resulted in the total weekly kill jumping by 2.6% or 1,532 head on the week before, bringing the total for the week to 60,452 head.
However, despite the overall increase in throughput, official figures also show that ewe and ram throughput dropped during the week ending October 9.
Source: Department of Agriculture
Official figures show that almost 12,100 ewes and rams where slaughtered in approved sheepmeat exports, a fall of 157 head or 1.3% on the week earlier.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture’s sheep kill database also shows that throughput for the year to date is on par with 2015.
So far this year, almost 2m sheep have been slaughtered in Irish plants, a fall of just 5,056 head on the corresponding period last year, but there is no percentage difference between the two years.
But despite the parity in throughput numbers, there has been a substantial increase in the number of ewe and ram slaughterings, which are up by 22% or 52,368 head.
Furthermore, the number of hogget slaughterings has also increased, with throughput of these animals for the year to date up by 7% or 681,209 head.
However, official figures show that there has been a major drop off in spring lamb slaughterings, as year-on-year kill has declined by 9% or 99,797 head bringing the total for the year to almost 1.03m head.
Cumulative sheep kill on par with 2015