Last week’s sheep kill (week ending March 5) fell once again, slightly, on the previous week, figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.
This is the third week in a row throughput has fallen. However, despite this, total kill figures for each of the last three weeks have been over the 50,000 head mark.
Looking at last week’s figures in detail, 52,531 sheep were processed, which is a decrease of 610 head from the week before.
The number of lambs/hoggets slaughtered last week came to 48,036 head, which represented a decrease of 245 head from the week prior.
Similarly, ewe and ram throughput fell from the previous week, with 364 head less slaughtered last week, totalling 4,495 head.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending March 5):
- Hoggets/lambs: 48,036 head (-245 or -0.50%);
- Ewes and rams: 4,495 head (-364 or -11.84%);
- Total: 52,531 head (-610 or -1.14%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 466,262 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 415,162 have been hoggets/lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (51,077) and a small portion of light lambs (23 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 48,000 head; 48,250 more hoggets/lambs have been processed and 212 more ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending March 5):
- Hoggets/lambs: 415,162 head (+48,250 or +13%);
- Ewes and rams: 51,077 head (+212 or +1%);
- Total: 466,262 head (+48,425 or +12%).