Spring lamb numbers continue to increase, as hoggets tighten further

Last week’s sheep kill saw an increase on the week before – up nearly 3,000 head, figures from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) show.

Of the sheep killed, spring lamb throughput is continuing to increase, while hoggets numbers continue to plummet.

A strong ewe and ram kill was also seen for the week ending May 2.

For the week ending May 2, 42,381 sheep were processed – which is an increase from the 39,521 sheep slaughtered the week before.

Hogget supplies continue to diminish, with yet again another drop in the number of hoggets processed during the week ending May 2.

In total, 20,347 hoggets were processed, which is down 4,870 on the week before.

Spring lamb throughput continues to rise week-on-week, with the number of spring lambs slaughtered during the week ending May 2, accumulating to 15,397 – which is a substantial increase of 7,080 head on the previous week.

Ewe and ram throughput also saw an increase, with a total of 6,635 head processed – up 652 head on the week before.

Week-on-week sheep kill supplies (Week ending May 2):

Hoggets: 20,347 head (-4,870 or -19.31%);
Ewes and rams: 6,635 head (+652 or +10.89%);
Spring lambs: 15,397 head (+7,080 or +85.12%);
Total: 42,381 head (+2,860 or +7.23%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 766,532 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 642,870 head have been hoggets, while 32,846 have consisted of spring lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 90,720 head.

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 67,857 head.

73,185 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year.

While 8,352 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well, with only spring lamb throughput seeing an increase on this time last year (up 13,606 head).