Last week’s sheep kill (week ending August 22) saw a decrease on the week before – down 2,610 head – figures from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.

Looking at the figures in more detail, for the week ending August 22, 59,424 sheep were processed – which was a decrease of 2,610 head from the week before.

The number of lambs slaughtered during the week ending August 22, accumulated to 49,094 head – which is a decrease of 2,729 head from the week previous.

Ewe and ram throughput totalled 10,176 head – which is up marginally 230 head on the previous week.

WEEK-ON-WEEK SHEEP KILL (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 22):
  • Hoggets: 153 head (-112 or -42%);
  • Ewes and rams: 10,176 head (+230 or +2.31%);
  • Spring lambs: 49,094 head (-2,729 or -5.26%);
  • Total: 59,424 head (-2,610 or -4.2%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,646,683 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 696,232 have been hoggets, while 744,845 have consisted of lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 205,494 head.

Source: DAFM

If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2020, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is back 111,373 head.

91,224 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year and the number of spring lambs processed is also back 5,793 head.

While 14,422 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.

YEAR-ON-YEAR SHEEP KILL CHANGES (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 22):
  • Lambs/hoggets: 696,232 head (-91,224 or -12%);
  • Spring lambs: 744,845 head (-5,793 or -1%);
  • Ewes and rams: 205,494 head (-14,422 or -7%);
  • Total: 1,646,683 head (-111,373 or -6%).
SHEEP KILL