Last week’s sheep kill (week ending March 26), witnessed a rise again after the short kill-week the previous week due to the bank holiday, figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.
This increase would have been expected, but maybe not to the levels it witnessed, after only seeing a three-day kill the previous week.
Looking at last week’s figures in detail, 54,831 sheep were processed, which is an increase of 18,746 head from the week before.
The number of hoggets slaughtered last week came to 49,809 head, which is an increase of 16,587 head from the week prior.
Ewe and ram throughput also witnessed an increase from the previous week by 2,187 head, totalling 2,308 head.
Furthermore, 679 spring lambs were processed last week, an increase of 125 head on the previous week.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending March 26):
- Hoggets: 49,809 head (+16,587 or +49.92%);
- Ewes and rams: 4,342 head (+2,034 or +88.12%);
- Spring lambs: 679 head (+125 or +22.56%)
- Total: 54,831 head (+18,746 or +51.94%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 608,908 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 545,479 have been hoggets, 1,240 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (62,163) 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 over 52,411 head; 53,607 more hoggets and 2,386 less ewes and rams have been slaughtered.
Spring lamb throughput is also up on this week last year.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending March 26):
- Hoggets/lambs: 545,479 head (+53,607 or +11%);
- Ewes and rams: 62,163 head (-2,386 or -4%);
- Total: 608,908 head (+52,411 or +9%).