Four years of decline in UK sheep flock
2021 is the fourth year of decline in the UK sheep flock who is now at 32.4 million head, 1% fewer than at the same time last year. In 2017 the national inventory was 34.8 million, according to data compiled by AHDB. "In this provisional release, data was held over from 2020 for Northern Ireland and Wales, which may mean the actual decline is larger.
The number of breeding ewes also fell slightly compared to year-earlier levels, to 15.3m head. The number of other sheep and lambs fell by 1% to 17.1m, including 16.2m lambs under a year of age (this year’s crop, not including those early lambs already slaughtered by 1 June), a decline of 1.6%," said Duncan Wyatt, Lead Analyst - Red Meat, AHDB. So far, prices have been supportive for the sector, with store lamb prices showing strength this season, as the GB average wast over £80/head in the middle of July, and currently averaging close to £75/head. The finished price has undoubtedly been adding confidence and support to the market, as has plentiful grass in parts of the country.
Throughputs of store lambs for the year to the end of September are 5% lower on the year but seem to have come forward slightly earlier this season, potentially spurred on by competition for tighter numbers nationally.
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