Last week’s sheep kill (week ending August 29) saw a slight increase on the week before – up 1,237 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 29, 60,661 sheep were processed – which was an increase of 1,237 head from the week before.

The number of lambs slaughtered during the week ending August 29, accumulated to 50,249 head – which is an increase of 1,195 head from the week previous.

Ewe and ram throughput totalled 10,215 head – which is up ever so slightly by 39 head on the previous week.

WEEK-ON-WEEK SHEEP KILL (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 29):
  • Hoggets: 192 head (+39 or +25.49%);
  • Ewes and rams: 10,215 head (+39 or +0.38%);
  • Spring lambs: 50,249 head (+1,195 or +2.35%);
  • Total: 60,661 head (+1,237 or +2.08%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,707,344 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 696,424 have been hoggets, while 795,094 have consisted of lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 215,709 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 104,788 head.

91,181 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year and the number of spring lambs processed is also back 2,150 head.

While 11,527 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.

YEAR-ON-YEAR SHEEP KILL CHANGES (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 29):
  • Lambs/hoggets: 696,424 head (-91,181 or -12%);
  • Spring lambs: 795,094 head (-2,150 or -0.02%);
  • Ewes and rams: 215,709 head (-11,527 or -5%);
  • Total: 1,707,344 head (-1,707,344 or -6%).