Last week’s sheep kill (week ending May 16) saw an increase once again on the week before – up over 2,500 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 hogget numbers continue to slide down.

The ewe and ram kill for the week ending May 16, saw a slight increase.

For the week ending May 16, 47,478 sheep were processed – which is an increase of 2,543 head from the week before.

Hogget supplies continue to diminish; yet again another drop in the number of hoggets processed was witnessed during the week ending May 16.

In total, 13,185 hoggets were processed, which is down 5,122 head 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 16, accumulating to 27,494 – which is an increase of 7,300 head on the previous week.

Ewe and ram throughput also saw a slight decrease, with a total of 6,799 head processed – up 365 head on the week before.

WEEK-ON-WEEK SHEEP KILL SUPPLIES (WEEK ENDING MAY 16):
  • Hoggets: 13,185 head (-5,122 or -27.97%);
  • Ewes and rams: 6,799 head (+365 or +5.67%);
  • Spring lambs: 27,494 head (+7,300 or +36.14%);
  • Total: 47,478 head (+2,543 or +5.65%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 858,945 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 674,362 have been hoggets, while 80,534 have consisted of spring lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 103,953 head.

  • Data 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 61,809 head.

81,619 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year.

While 7,814 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well, with only spring lamb throughput seeing an increase on this time last year (up 27,556 head).

YEAR-ON-YEAR SHEEP KILL CHANGES (WEEK ENDING MAY 16):
  • Lambs/hoggets: 674,362 head (-81,619 or -11%);
  • Spring lambs: 80,534 head (+27,556 or +52%);
  • Ewes and rams: 103,953 head (-7,814 or -7%);
  • Total: 858,945 head (-61,809 or -7%).
SHEEP KILL