Processing figures gathered recently show a year-on-year decrease in sheepmeat production in Northern Ireland (NI), the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) reported. For the week ending June 26, 9,927 lambs were processed in local plants in the North - which was the highest weekly throughput during 2021 to date. This took lamb throughput in NI during the last six weeks (up to the week ending June 26) to 51,546 head - down 4,120 head or 7.4% from the same time period in 2020.

While lamb throughput is back, on the other hand, ewe and ram throughput has increased during the six-week period mentioned above.

Throughput of ewes and rams for the six-week period up to June 26, amounted to 2,998 - which represented an increase of 311 head or 11.5% from the same period last year, the LMC added. Despite the average lamb carcass weight increasing year-on-year during this six-week period, this did not offset the decline seen in throughput, which has led to a reduction in sheepmeat produced. Lamb meat production during the last six weeks - up to June 26 - totalled 1,101t, and meat production from ewes and rams totalled 88t, taking total sheepmeat production to 1,189t. This is a reduction of 69t relative to the same period in 2020, the LMC concluded.
Source: DAERA
NI SHEEPMEAT PRODUCTION