There have been over 103,000 fewer sheep slaughtered to-date in 2024 when compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The most recent sheep kill figures from the department revealed that there were 41,258 sheep slaughtered last week during week 19 (ending Sunday, May 12).
Despite the shorter processing week due to the bank holiday on May 7, this supply of sheep was higher than the previous week when 38,565 sheep were slaughtered.
The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 19 (ending Sunday, May 12) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.
Type 2024
week 192024 cumulative 2023 weekly 2023 cumulative Weekly
differenceCumulative difference 24 vs. 23 % weekly difference 24 vs. 23 % cumulative difference Lambs/hoggets 25,426 795,287 25,936 877,355 -510 -82,068 -2% -9% Spring lambs 11,667 35,749 15,565 45,697 -3,898 -9,948 –25% –22% Ewes and rams 4,159 88,932 5,544 100,592 -1,385 -11,660 -25% -12% Light lambs 6 65 3 99 3 -34 100% -34% Total 41,258 920,033 47,048 1,023,743 -5,790 -103,710 -12% -10%
In particular, the number of spring lambs slaughtered has continued to rise, as 11,667 were killed during week 18.
This represented 28% of the week’s kill, and saw 32% of the total number of spring lambs to-date in 2024 slaughtered in the week.
The low supply of lambs and hoggets in recent weeks has helped to maintain prices at their current level.
Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 920,033 sheep have been processed so far.
Of that figure, 795,287 have been lambs/hoggets, 35,749 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (88,932), and a small portion of light lambs (65).