National Sheep Flock Hits 15 Year Low
Issued 22nd April 2002
The national sheep flock has fallen by 8% during the past year in spite of record prices for lamb in 2001, according to Gerry Scully, Chief Sheep Adviser with Teagasc.
Total applications for the EU ewe premium in January this year were 3.87 million, a drop of 360,000 on 2001. Mr Scully said this is the ninth consecutive year of falling sheep numbers and sheep producers.
''The national breeding flock peaked at 5.2 million ewes in 1992 with 53,000 sheep producers. The current breeding flock is now 25% lower and is now at the same level as in the late 1980s''.
''The number of sheep producers has already declined substantially, from 53,000 in 1992 to 35,500 at present, a drop of 33%. During the past year, 2,500 farmers got out of sheep'', he said.
Mr Scully stated that the exceptionally high prices for lamb last autumn and winter played a significant part in influencing farmers who were considering getting out of sheep to take the final jump. The buoyant trade also led to more ewe lambs being slaughtered rather than being retained for breeding.
"The lower stocking rate requirements for the EU extensification premium, paid on suckler cows and male cattle, contributed to lower stock numbers on many farms. The fact that sheep are counted in the stocking rate calculation but are not eligible for the extensification premium meant that they were the first target", he said.
Gerry Scully said the trend towards part-time farming continues to contribute to the downturn in sheep numbers, particularly on farms with smaller flocks.
''The high labour demands of sheep do not fit comfortably with an off-farm job. Labour difficulties have also led to many older farmers with small flocks deciding to opt out of sheep'', he said.
He said there are still almost 8,000 farmers with flocks of less than 50 breeding ewes and it is likely that these will continue to exit the industry as has taken place in pigs, dairying and tillage farming
He said the reduced numbers mean that Irish consumers will play a bigger role in the incomes of sheep farmers in the future.
''The home market is expected to absorb around 25% of the total expected output of 4 million lambs this year. This compares to a home market share of less than 20% in the past'', he said.
