Last week’s sheep kill (week ending August 15) saw a big increase on the week before – up nearly 12,000 head – figures from the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.

The weekly kill had been coming back ever since the Eid al-Adha festival ended, but last week saw throughput increase substantially – both for lambs and ewes.

Looking at the figures in more detail, for the week ending August 15, 62,034 sheep were processed – which was an increase of 11,889 head from the week before.

The number of lambs slaughtered during the week ending August 15, accumulated to 51,823 head – which is an increase of 9,973 head from the week previous.

Ewe and ram throughput totalled 9,946 head – which is up 2,166 head on the previous week.

WEEK-ON-WEEK SHEEP KILL (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 15):
  • Hoggets: 265 head (-244 or -47%);
  • Ewes and rams: 9,946 head (+2,166 or +27.84%);
  • Spring lambs: 51,823 head (+9,973 or +23.83%);
  • Total: 62,034 head (+11,889 or +23.7%).

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,587,259 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 696,079 have been hoggets, while 695,751 have consisted of lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 195,318 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 118,211 head.

91,245 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year and the number of spring lambs processed is also back 11,435 head.

While 15,598 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.

YEAR-ON-YEAR SHEEP KILL CHANGES (WEEK ENDING AUGUST 15):
  • Lambs/hoggets: 696,079 head (-91,245 or -12%);
  • Spring lambs: 695,751 head (-11,435 or -2%);
  • Ewes and rams: 195,318 head (-15,598 or -7%);
  • Total: 1,587,259 head (-118,211 or -7%).
SHEEP KILL