An analysis of slaughter figures published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) shows the sheep kill in Northern Ireland running 36,147 head lower up to the first week of July.

The 15% drop in throughput is underpinned primarily by fewer hoggets and lambs processed, as detailed in Table 1.

This is stemming from a combination of a lower carryover of hoggets born in 2023 and an increase in the number of sheep exported live to Britain.

As detailed in Table 2, the number of sheep exported live to farms in Britain is running at over 100,000 head, almost twice the levels recorded in the corresponding period in 2023.

Tight supplies in Britain and a differential ranging anywhere from upwards of 50p/kg to 80p/kg fuelled live exports.

This was facilitated by agents in Northern Ireland seizing an opportunity to export cull ewes and hoggets for sale in marts in Britain and also in wholesale or factory buyers from Britain attending sales in Northern Ireland.