Sheep slaughter figures shoot up by 33.5% in March - CSO

The number of sheep slaughtered in March 2020 increased by 33.5% when compared to March 2019, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

In the latest release of livestock slaughterings, the CSO noted that a further comparison of March 2020 and March 2019 slaughtering figures also shows that cattle slaughterings increased by 4.7%.

Meanwhile, pig slaughterings increased by 9.7%, the office said.

A comparison of figures for January-March 2020 with the corresponding period of 2019 shows that cattle slaughterings increased by 0.4%.

Meanwhile, sheep slaughterings increased by 14.3% over the three-month period compared to the same time-frame in 2019.

Pig slaughterings on the other hand decreased by 0.3%, the figures show.

In terms of throughput numbers, some 174,100 head of cattle were slaughtered last month, up from the 166,200 head recorded in March 2019.

A total of 240,900 head of sheep went through the processors in March 2020, well up on the 180,400 head for the third month last year.

Finally, 300,400 pigs were slaughtered last month, compared with 273,900 recorded for March 2019.

In total, for the first three months of 2020, 503,300 head of cattle, 701,000 sheep and 878,900 pigs have been slaughtered in Irish plants, the CSO figures show.

Meanwhile, a strong trade was reported by a number of mart managers across the country for all types of stock last week in AgriLand’s latest sheep marts report, which can be found here.