Last week’s sheep kill (week ending July 9) hit a record level in the lead up to the Eid al-Adha festival.

Demand driven by the festival, which commenced last Saturday (July 9), saw a busy week for factories, which resulted in a kill shy of 70,000 lambs.

An upturn in the trade last week saw factories intensify their efforts to entice lambs forward and fill orders for the festival, with farmers looking to make the most of this increased demand for lamb.

Spring lamb throughput fell just short of 69,000 head last week.

However, ewe and ram throughput decreased, as did hogget throughput.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 78,164 sheep were processed last week, an increase of 23,066 head from the week before.

The number of hoggets processed continues to decline, with 1,581 head slaughtered last week.

Ewe and ram throughput witnessed a decrease last week of 371 head, totalling 7,678 head.

Spring lamb supplies increased massively last week to 68,902 head, which represents an increase of 23,491 head on the previous week.

Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending July 9):

  • Hoggets: 1,581 head (-57 or -3.47%);
  • Ewes and rams: 7,678 head (-371 or -4.60%);
  • Spring lambs: 68,902 head (+23,491 or +51.72%);
  • Total: 78,164 head (+23,066 or +41.86%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,432,834 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 891,698 have been hoggets, 389,850 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (151,194) and a small portion of light lambs (92 head).

Source: DAFM

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 158,066 head; 197,328 more hoggets have been processed, while 3,138 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered.

Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by over 36,000 head.

Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending July 9):

  • Hoggets/lambs: 891,698 head (+1967,328 or +28%);
  • Ewes and rams: 151,194 head (-3,138 or -2%);
  • Spring lambs: 389,850 head (-36,111 or -8%);
  • Total: 1,432,834 head (+158,066 or +12%).
SHEEP KILL