Last week’s sheep kill resulted in over 39,000 sheep processed, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The supply of spring lambs rose by 2,898 head last week, during week 21 (ending Sunday, May 26) compared to the previous week.
However, the supply of hoggets dropped by 4,797 head last week when compared to week 20 (ending May 19).
The overall supply of sheep in week 21 was 1,514 head lower than the number slaughtered in week 20.
The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 21 and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.
Type 2024
week 212024 cumulative 2023 weekly 2023 cumulative Weekly
differenceCumulative difference 24 vs. 23 % weekly difference 24 vs. 23 % cumulative difference Lambs/hoggets 18,218 836,520 18,373 919,879 -155 -83,359 -0.8% -9% Spring lambs 16,431 65,713 25,659 90,810 -9,228 -25,097 –44% –28% Ewes and rams 4,567 97,675 5,494 110,728 -927 -13,053 -18% -12% Light lambs 0 71 3 106 -3 -35 -200% -33% Total 39,216 999,979 49,529 1,121,523 -10,313 -121,544 -23% -11%
There are 121,544 fewer sheep processed so far in 2024 than there were during the same period of 2023.
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 999,979 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.
Of that figure, 836,520 have been lambs/hoggets, 65,713 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (97,675), and a small portion of light lambs (71).
The Eid al-Adha festival, which traditionally leads to a surge in demand for Irish lamb, is set to take place during the middle of next month (June) and may see sheep processors more anxious for supplies of finished lambs.