The national sheep kill was up 4.6% for the first half of the year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

It found that some 1.5m sheep were slaughtered at sheep factories across Ireland over the period from January to June 2023.

The CSO published its analysis, comparing the sheep kill for the period January to June 2023, with the same period last year, was published on Thursday.

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Within the CSO figures, June 2023 saw a major increase in the sheep kill with 275,000 head slaughtered last month, up 8.8% on the same month in 2022.

Cattle

Between January and June 2023, the cattle kill dropped marginally, by 2.6%, compared to the same period in 2022. A total of 912,787 cattle were slaughtered in the first six months of this year.

However, in June 2023, there was a notable rebound, with the cattle kill up 3.5% compared to June 2022. Some 150,000 cattle were slaughtered last month, according to the CSO.

On the kill data, CSO statistician Mairead Griffin said: “The increase in cattle slaughterings during June 2023 is a positive indicator for the industry, and the growth in sheep slaughterings indicates opportunities for expansion and development in this segment of the industry.”