Focus on Sheep

Stable breeding ewe numbers are forecast 13.9 million head. Lamb numbers are forecast to decline by 2% (~400,000 head) to 16.6 million head. Most of the decline can be attributed to the reduction in the size of breeding flocks. Longer term, lamb is forecast to be more stable at around 16.5 million head.

The importance of nutrition for good lamb performance has been key in 2019. Grass growth was good throughout the summer. However since then fields up and down the country have had more than enough rain his autumn, putting many underwater.

Due to a large amount of rain, some fodder and cover crops are in a poor condition this winter. Other parts of the country are reporting plentiful supplies of fodder crops.

Production during Q3 totalled 81,000 tonnes, which is up 4,700 tonnes year-on-year (Defra). There has also been an increase in carcase weights.

From Jan-Oct an estimated 6.6 million lambs from the 2019 crop were slaughtered which is an increase of 7% and marginally above the five year average.