Last week’s sheep kill (week ending September 10) saw a sharp decrease on the week before, falling over 6,000 head mainly due to a sharp fall in lamb supplies.
On the other hand, increases in the ewe and hogget kill were seen.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 60,709 sheep were processed last week, which is a decrease of 6,209 head from the week prior.
Ewe and ram throughput increased last week by 2,546 head, totalling 13,557 head.
The number of hoggets processed increased once again to 1,511 head – an increase of over 700 head. Spring lamb supplies, on the other hand, fell sharply, by just under 9,500 head, to total 45,637 head.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending September 10):
- Hoggets: 1,511 head (+711 or +88%);
- Ewes and rams: 13,557 head (+2,546 or +23.12%);
- Spring lambs: 45,637 head (-9,470 or -17.18%);
- Total: 60,709 head (-6,209 or -9.27%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,958,692 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 896,892 have been hoggets, 823,757 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (237,932) and a small portion of light lambs (111 head).
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 by 123,175 head; 200,246 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels by nearly 5,000 head.
Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by nearly 82,000 head.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending September 10):
- Hoggets/lambs: 896,892 head (+200,246 or +29%);
- Ewes and rams: 237,932 head (+4,871 or +2%);
- Spring lambs: 823,757 head (-81,936 or -9%);
- Total: 1,958,692 head (+1263,175 or +7%).