Sheep kill: Throughput approaches 2m in 2024
The supply of sheep for processing is approaching two million head in 2024, as spring lambs continue to be brought to the factories.
A total of 57,776 sheep were slaughtered last week in week 40 (ending Sunday, October 6), with spring lambs making up the majority of the throughput (49,505 head).
The sheep available for processing were of a similar number to the same week 12 months ago, when 62,538 were slaughtered, 4,762 fewer sheep.
The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 40 and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.
| Type | 2024 week 40 | 2024 cumulative | 2023 weekly | 2023 cumulative | Weekly difference | Cumulative difference | 24 vs. 23 % weekly difference | 24 vs. 23 % cumulative difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lambs/hoggets | 84 | 897,179 | 201 | 980,962 | -117 | -83,783 | -58% | -9% |
| Spring lambs | 49,505 | 877,404 | 52,391 | 956,591 | -2,886 | -79,187 | -6% | –8% |
| Ewes and rams | 8,187 | 216,959 | 9,943 | 248,360 | -1,756 | -31,401 | -18% | -13% |
| Light lambs | 0 | 108 | 3 | 137 | -3 | -29 | -100% | -21% |
| Total | 57,776 | 1,991,650 | 62,538 | 2,186,050 | -4,762 | -194,400 | -8% | -9% |
If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2023, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is down by over 194,000 head; over 83,000 fewer hoggets have been processed, while ewe and ram throughput is down on last year’s levels in excess of 31,000 head.
The supply of spring lambs is also running 8% behind the cumulative total of the same period in 2023, with over 79,000 head fewer slaughtered.
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,991,650 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.
Of that figure, 897,179 have been lambs/hoggets, 877,404 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (216,959), and a small portion of light lambs (108).
