The latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown the number of sheep classed as spring lambs that were killed last week (ending Sunday, December 17) was the highest in 2023 to date.
The figures show that 57,871 spring lambs were processed last week (week 50), which is an increase of 2,860 head from the week prior.
The 64,380 sheep slaughtered in week 50 is the highest number of sheep killed in a single week since week 25, which saw 70,071 slaughtered.
The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for the week ending Sunday, December 17, (week 50) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2022.
Type 2023
week 502023 cumulative 2022 weekly 2022 cumulative Weekly
differenceCumulative difference 23 vs. 22 % weekly difference 23 vs. 22 % cumulative difference Lambs/hoggets 147 986,906 1,126 907,118 -979 79,788 -87% 9% Spring lambs 57,871 1,464,197 54,845 1,538,641 3,026 -74,444 6% -5% Ewes and rams 6,358 324,096 6,986 375,975 -628 -51,879 -9% -14% Light lambs 4 159 0 147 4 12 – 8% Total 64,380 2,775,358 62,957 2,821,881 1,423 -46,523 2% -2%
Taking a look at this years throughput figures to date, 2,775,358 have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 986,906 have been hoggets, 1,464,197 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (324,096), and a small portion of light lambs (159 head).
In week 50, there were 57,871 spring lambs slaughtered, and a total of 1,464,197 in 2023 so far.
This number is well behind the number of spring lambs slaughtered during the same period in 2022, which had 74,444 more processed.
This years supply of ewes and rams is also behind the number processed up to the same date in 2022, as there have been 51,879 fewer killed this year.