Last week’s sheep kill (week ending September 17) saw an increase on the week before, exceeding 64,000 head.
Spring lamb supplies increased, while ewe and hogget throughput fell on the other hand.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that 64,176 sheep were processed last week, which is an increase of 3,467 head from the week prior.
Ewe and ram throughput decreased last week ever so slightly by 338 head, to total 13,219 head.
The number of hoggets processed fell to 994 head – a decrease of over 500 head. Spring lamb supplies on the other hand increased by just over 4,300 head, to total 49,961 head.
Week-on-week sheep kill (week ending September 17):
- Hoggets: 994 head (-517 or -34%);
- Ewes and rams: 13,219 head (-338 or -2.49%);
- Spring lambs: 49,961 head (+4,324 or +9.47%);
- Total: 64,176 head (+3,467 or +5.71%).
Sheep kill to date
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,022,868 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 897,886 have been hoggets, 873,718 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (251,151) and a small portion of light lambs (113 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 125,368 head; 201,143 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels by over 8,500 head.
Spring lamb throughput remains well behind on this time last year by over 84,000 head.
Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending September 17):
- Hoggets/lambs: 897,886 head (+201,143 or +29%);
- Ewes and rams: 251,151 head (+8,592 or +4%);
- Spring lambs: 873,718 head (-84,363 or -9%);
- Total: 2.022,868 head (+125,368 or +7%).