Sheep kill: Supplies tighten as throughput drops below 60,000 %

The weekly sheep kill fell below 60,000 head last week, indicating a tightening of supplies.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 57,768 sheep were processed last week (week ending November 19), which is a decrease of 5,647 head from the week prior.

Lamb and ewe supplies both decreased, with hogget throughput the only category to see an increase.

Spring lamb supplies totalled 48,176 head, a decrease of over 5,300 head on the previous week, while ewe and ram throughput tallied 8,939 head, a decrease of nearly 500 head on the week prior.

The number of hoggets processed increased to 653 head.

Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending November 19):

Hoggets: 653 head (+186 or +39.83%);
Ewes and rams: 8,939 head (-488 or -5.17%);
Spring lambs: 48,176 head (-5,343 or -9.98%);
Total: 57,768 head (-5,647 or -8.90%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,583,308 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 904,246 have been hoggets, 1,331,097 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (347,824) and a small portion of light lambs (141 head).

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 over 165,000 head; 206,345 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels by over 26,000 head.

Spring lamb throughput remains behind on this time last year by nearly 67,000 head.

Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending November 19):