The overall sheep kill to-date, this year, is running 5% or just under 39,000 sheep ahead of the same time period last year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
While the supply of ewes and hoggets has increased, the supply of spring lamb is back by almost 5,000 head or 31% to-date this year.
In the week ending Sunday, April 23, a total of 4,869 spring lambs were processed, down 20% from the 6,110 spring lambs processed in the same week last year.
The table below gives an analysis of the sheep kill to date this year. Click on the table and scroll left or right to view all the data.
Category Week 16, 2023 Cumulative
2023Week 16, 2022 Cumulative 2022 Week 16 diff. Cumulative difference Weekly % diff. Cumulative % diff. Lambs/Hoggets: 53,339 781,062 38,657 741,559 14,682 39,503 38% 5% Spring Lambs: 4,869 11,096 6,110 16,014 -1,241 -4,918 -20% -31% Ewes and Rams: 5,130 84,516 4,956 80,151 -174 4,365 4% 5% Light Lambs: 7 81 1 41 6 40 600% 98% Total: 63,345 876,755 49,724 837,765 13,621 38,990 27% 5%
As the table above indicates, the supply of hoggets this year is up by over 39,500 head or 5% on the same time period last year.
The cumulative supply of ewes and rams is up by over 4,300 head or 5% on last year.
The graph below shows how weekly sheep slaughterings this year compare to last year:
As can be seen from the graph above, the weekly sheep kill dipped significantly in week 15. The four-day kill as a result of the bank holiday that week may have contributed to this.
Most sites also had a four-day kill in week 14 due to Good Friday, but kill numbers remained high despite this.
It remains to be seen when spring lamb supplies will begin to pick up, however the trend to date would indicate there will be a much lower supply of early spring lamb.