Ireland’s sheep flock increased, once again, by 2% in 2020 compared to 2019, the latest sheep census figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.
Figures from the department reveal that 3.88 million sheep were kept in the country at the end of December 2020 – which represents an increase of 69,000 head when compared to the 2019 figure.
Census forms were sent to 46,332 registered flock-keepers. This number included approximately 1,500 new sheep flocks approved by the DAFM – along with a further 500 flock numbers reactivated.
Of the 3.88 million sheep recorded to be in Ireland as of December 31, 2020, 2.64 million of those were breeding sheep over 12 months-of-age – which was an increase of approximately 72,000 on the previous year’s ewe population, the DAFM said.
The average number of sheep per flock was 109, which was the same as 2019.
A total of 66% of flocks (23,407) kept 100 sheep or less, the DAFM added.
County-by-county breakdown of sheep numbers for 2020
If we take a look at the county-by-county breakdown of the total number of sheep, we can see that Donegal leads the way with a total number of 535,949.
The two counties with the next largest population of sheep are Mayo and Galway, with 440,784 and 422,768 respectively.
Finishing the top five counties with the largest population of sheep are Kerry and Wicklow, with 331,403 and 237,522 respectively.
The counties with the lowest number of sheep are Limerick and Dublin, with 23,036 and 24,867 respectively.
A map of the total number of sheep by county can be seen (below).
