Last week’s factory sheep kill resulted in over 50,500 sheep processed, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

For the week ending March 12, a total of 50,596 sheep were processed, which is an increase of over 2,300 head on the previous week’s kill.

46,047 hoggets were processed, which is up by over 2,488 head on the week prior, while a further 4,336 ewes and rams were slaughtered, which is back 334 head on the previous week.

Last week’s sheep kill (week ending March 12):

  • Hoggets/lambs: 46,047 head;
  • Ewes and rams: 4,336 head;
  • Total: 50,596 head.

Sheep kill to date

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 517,875 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 458,347 have been hoggets/lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (59,285), spring lambs (207) and a small number of light lambs (36 head).

Source: DAFM

If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2022, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is virtually on par with last year.

Over 4,000 fewer hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is up on last year’s levels in excess of 3,722 head.

Year-on-year sheep kill changes (week ending March 12):

  • Hoggets/lambs: 458,347 head (-4,141 or -1%);
  • Ewes and rams: 59,285 head (+3,722 or +7%);
  • Total: 517,875 head (-117 or -0%).
SHEEP KILL