Last week’s sheep kill (week ending September 19) saw a decrease on the week before – down 2,214 head – figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.

Looking at the figures in more detail, for the week ending September 19, 61,983 sheep were processed – which was a decrease of 2,214 head from the week before.

The number of lambs slaughtered during the week ending September 19, accumulated to 52,388 head – which is a decrease of 3,056 head from the week previous.

Ewe and ram throughput totalled 9,498 head – which is up 817 head.

WEEK-ON-WEEK SHEEP KILL (WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 19):
  • Hoggets: 97 head (+25 or +34.72%);
  • Ewes and rams: 9,498 head (+817 or +9.41%);
  • Spring lambs: 52,388 head (-3,056 or -5.51%);
  • Total: 61,983 head (-2,214 or -3.44%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,897,500 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 696,743 have been hoggets, while 958,081 have consisted of lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 242,559 head.

Source: DAFM

If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2020, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is back 101,128 head.

91,287 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year and 13,813 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.

However, spring lamb throughput is up on the same period in 2020 by 3,908 head.

YEAR-ON-YEAR SHEEP KILL CHANGES (WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 19):
  • Lambs/hoggets: 696,743 head (-91,287 or -12%);
  • Spring lambs: 958,081 head (+3,908 or +0.07%);
  • Ewes and rams: 242,559 head (-13,813 or -5%);
  • Total: 1,897,500 head (-101,128 or -5%).