Last week’s sheep kill (week ending October 1) was down slightly on the week before, standing at just over 65,000 head.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 65,232 sheep were processed last week, which is a decrease of 867 head from the week prior.

Spring lamb supplies increased on the previous week once again, with the decrease seen coming in the ewe and hogget categories.

Ewe and ram throughput fell by over 700 head last week to total 12,061 head.

The number of hoggets processed decreased by 497 head to 714 head, and spring lamb supplies tallied 52,455 head.

Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending October 1):

  • Hoggets: 714 head (-497 or -41%);
  • Ewes and rams: 12,061 head (-702 or -5.50%);
  • Spring lambs: 52,455 head (+331 or +0.63%);
  • Total: 65,232 head (-867 or -1.31%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,154,199 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 899,811 have been hoggets, 978,297 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (275,975) and a small portion of light lambs (116 head).

Source: DAFM

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 136,005 head; 202,471 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels by over 13,600 head.

Spring lamb throughput remains well behind on this time last year by over 80,000 head.

Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending October 1):

  • Hoggets/lambs: 899,811 head (+202,471 or +29%);
  • Ewes and rams: 275,975 head (+13,625 or +5%);
  • Spring lambs: 978,297 head (-80,089 or -8%);
  • Total: 2,154,199 head (+136,005 or +7%).