Last week’s sheep kill (week ending April 9) witnessed an increase on the week prior, figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.
With Ramadan ongoing and continuing until May 1, and with Easter this weekend, throughput as expected, has increased in line with growing demand once again and last week, surpassed 60,000 head.
Looking at last week’s figures in detail, 61,978 sheep were processed – an increase of 3,093 head from the week before.
The number of hoggets slaughtered last week came to 55,087 head, which is an increase of 1,434 head from the week prior.
Ewe and ram throughput also witnessed a marginal increase from the previous week, totalling 4,195 head.
Furthermore, 2,696 spring lambs were processed last week, an increase of 1,572 head on the previous week.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending April 9):
- Hoggets: 55,087 head (+1,434 or +2.67%);
- Ewes and rams: 4,195 head (+117 or +2.86%);
- Spring lambs: 2,696 head (+1,572 or +140%)
- Total: 61,978 head (+3,093 or +5.25%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 729,741 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 654,219 have been hoggets, 5,060 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (70,436) and a small portion of light lambs (26 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 nearly 93,000 head; 94,486 more hoggets and 2,667 less ewes and rams have been slaughtered.
Spring lamb throughput is also up on this week last year by 1,173 head.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending April 9):
- Hoggets/lambs: 654,219 head (+94,486 or +17%);
- Ewes and rams: 70,436 head (-2,667 or -4%);
- Spring lambs: 5,060 head (+1,173 or +30%);
- Total: 729,741 head (+92,933 or +15%).