Last week’s sheep kill (week ending October 23) saw a decrease on the week before for the second week in a row – down 3,201 head – figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) reveal.

Looking at the figures in more detail, for the week ending October 23, 58,904 sheep were processed – which is a decrease of 3,201 head from the week before.

The number of lambs slaughtered during the week ending October 23, accumulated to 50,124 head – which is a decrease of 2,481 head from the week previous.

Ewe and ram throughput witnessed a decrease also, totalling 9,415 head – which is back 549 head – for the week ending October 23.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 2,202,780 sheep have been processed thus far.

Of that figure, 697,640 have been hoggets, while 1,214,624 have consisted of lambs.

Ewe and ram throughput makes up the rest at 290,395 head.

If we compare figures to date this year, against the same period in 2020, we can see that the total number of sheep slaughtered is back 105,443 head.

91,472 fewer hoggets have been processed in comparison to the same period last year and 17,824 fewer ewes and rams have been slaughtered as well.

However, spring lamb throughput is up on the same period in 2020 by 3,790 head.