The number of sheep coming weekly from Northern Ireland (NI) for slaughter in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) has remained at over 3,000 head since the middle of June.
This is according to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), which has provided figures to Agriland on the numbers of sheep from NI slaughtered at approved ROI export premises.
There have been 168,190 sheep from NI slaughtered in approved ROI export premises in 2024 up to and including week 31 (ending August 3).
During the same period in 2023 (up to August 5), this figure stood at 166,364 head.
Therefore, the cumulative total this year compared to last year is ahead by 1,826 head, or 1.1%.
The comparison of the same week of both years shows that the 3,168 sheep slaughtered in week 31 in 2024 was less than half of the 6,732 sheep that were slaughtered during the same week in 2023.
According to the LMC, export markets have played “a contributing factor in strengthening the NI sheep trade”.
Bord Bia stated that a “relatively tight supplies of lamb for slaughter in Northern Ireland combined with competition from the live export trade to both mainland GB and ROI contributed to [a] firming in the trade” in the ROI.
157,442 lambs over 13kg have been brought from NI to the ROI for slaughter, while ewes and rams made up 10,748 of the overall throughput from NI to the republic.
The highest weekly throughput of NI sheep in the ROI in 2024 came during the week ending January 13, when 9,584 were killed.
The lowest number of sheep from NI slaughtered in the ROI this year came during the week ending in May 4, when just 1,276 were processed.
Data from the LMC on August 3 stated that a total of 9,461 lambs were processed in NI plants last week, the “highest throughput of lambs since the beginning of January 2024”.
