New figures released by the Central Statistics Office puts last year’s sheep kill down 10.1% on 2023, equating to a 321,000 head drop year on year.

Last year’s factory throughput was down by just below 350,000 sheep when compared with 2022, the new figures show.

The drop in sheep slaughterings for December was back by an even sharper 19.6% on the equivalent period a year earlier, a decrease of 50,000 sheep in this month alone.

Cattle throughput increased 1.9% last year to 1,906,663 head, but the cattle throughput did not reach 2022’s level.

The number of cattle slaughtered in December 2024 was up 4.3% on the same month a year previous.

Factories' pig throughout also rose last year, as a 2.4% increase in December - when compared with the same month in 2023 – left the yearly kill at around 3.3 million head.

This was 1.1% of a lift across the year as a whole.