Ireland’s breeding ewe flock steadied in 2019 and recorded a slight increase of 10,690 ewes, or a 0.4% rise, on 2018 levels.

The Department of Agriculture’s annual sheep and goat census also shows the “other sheep” category running 63,675 head higher (1,156,443) on 31 December 2019 than the previous year.

This increase provided the foundation for higher sheep throughput to-date in 2020, with hogget throughput of 716,055 running 89,090 head higher.

The number of rams recorded in the census grew by 2.6% to 82,055 head, leaving total sheep numbers at 3.8m head, an increase of 2%.

The number of people keeping sheep on 31 December 2019 fell by 248 flocks to 34,938.

Mayo has the second-largest flock and recorded growth of 6,446 ewes to reach 310,069

The average number of sheep per flock was recorded at 109 head, compared to 106 head in 2018, with 69% of flocks containing sheep numbers below the average flock size on 31 December 2019.

Donegal continues to strengthen its position as the county with the largest sheep flock. Ewe numbers increased by 8,538 head, reaching 354,058.

Mayo has the second-largest flock and recorded growth of 6,446 ewes to reach 310,069.

Dairy expansion continues to affect numbers in the southeast, with Wicklow recording a reduction of 7,983 head, while Wexford’s ewe flock fell 3,650 head to 85,001.