Sheep kill: Surge in lamb supplies sees throughput rise
In last week’s sheep kill (week ending Sunday, October 8) over 62,000 sheep were processed, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Figures show that 62,538 sheep were processed last week, which is an increase of 3,022 head from the week prior.
Spring lamb supplies increased by 3,188 on the previous week, while supplies of ewes, rams and hoggets all decreased.
The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for the week ending Sunday, October 8, (week 40) and the cumulative kill to date this year compared to the same time period in 2022:
| Type | 2023 week 40 | 2023 cumulative | 2022 weekly | 2022 cumulative | Weekly difference | Cumulative difference | 23 vs. 22 % weekly difference | 23 vs. 22 % cumulative difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lambs/Hoggets | 201 | 980,962 | 944 | 900,755 | -743 | 80,207 | -79% | 9% |
| Spring Lambs | 52,391 | 956,591 | 52,784 | 1,031,081 | -393 | -74,490 | -1% | -7% |
| Ewes and Rams | 9,943 | 248,360 | 11,447 | 287,422 | -1,504 | -39,062 | -13% | -14% |
| Light Lambs | 3 | 137 | 2 | 118 | 1 | 19 | 50% | 16% |
| Total | 62,538 | 2,186,050 | 65,177 | 2,219,376 | -2,639 | -33,326 | -4 | -2% |
If we compare figures to date this year against the same period in 2022, we see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is behind by 33,326 head; 80,207 more hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is behind on last year’s levels by nearly 40,000 head.
The cumulative spring lamb throughput remains behind on this time last year by nearly 75,000 head, while the difference in slaughter figures from week 40 in 2023 shows that there were 393 fewer spring lambs slaughtered than the corresponding week in 2022.
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,186,050 have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 980,962 have been hoggets, 956,591 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (248,360) and a small portion of light lambs (137 head).
