The variety of UK clear sheep slaughterings in March 2023 was up 21%, or 1240,000 head on the identical time interval as final yr.

Mutton and lamb manufacturing was up 28,000t in March 2023, which is 15% larger than in March 2022, in response to the Division for Surroundings, Meals and Rural Affairs’ (Defra’s) newest statistics on livestock slaughter and meat manufacturing.

Defra runs a month-to-month survey of registered England and Wales slaughterhouses. Related surveys are run in Northern Eire and Scotland.

The statistics, printed yesterday (Thursday, April 13), cowl cattle, sheep and pig slaughter and meat manufacturing.

UK prime cattle (steers, heifers and younger bulls) slaughterings had been additionally up in March 2023 by 1.2% on March 2022 at 178,000 head.

Younger bulls was the one class to see a decline in kill numbers, with 12,000 head killed in March 2023 in comparison with 14,000 head in March 2022. Steers, heifers, cows and grownup bulls, and calves additionally noticed larger numbers killed this March.

Nevertheless, UK clear pig slaughterings had been down 15% on March 2022 at 899,000 head. 160,000 fewer clear pigs had been slaughtered whereas 7,000 fewer sows and boars had been slaughtered.

Pigmeat manufacturing at 83,000t was additionally down year-on-year, being 18% decrease than in March 2022.