Last week’s sheep kill (week ending October 15) held steady on the week before, once again, exceeding over 65,000 head.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 65,485 sheep were processed last week, which is a very marginal increase of 388 head from the week prior.
Spring lamb supplies decreased on the previous week, as did hogget numbers.
Ewe and ram throughput however, increased, by over 900 head last week to total 12,419 head.
The number of hoggets processed decreased to 880 head, and spring lamb supplies fell over 600 to 52,167 head.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending October 15):
- Hoggets: 880 head (-64 or -11.46%);
- Ewes and rams: 12,419 head (+972 or +8.49%);
- Spring lambs: 52,167 head (-617 or -1.16%);
- Total: 65,485 head (+388 or +0.47%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,284,861 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 901,635 have been hoggets, 1,083,248 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (299,841) and a small portion of light lambs (137 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 140,985 head; 204,109 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels by over 18,000 head.
Spring lamb throughput remains behind on this time last year by over 81,000 head.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending October 15):
- Hoggets/lambs: 901,635 head (+204,109 or +29%);
- Ewes and rams: 299,841 head (+18,112 or +6%);
- Spring lambs: 1,083,248 head (-81,252 or -7%);
- Total: 2,284,861 head (+140,985 or +7%).