The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has reported a significant decrease in the supply of spring lambs for slaughter this year, with a drop of nearly 64,000 head compared to the same period last year. The cumulative total of spring lambs slaughtered in 2024 is 63,891 head lower than last year. The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association has attributed this decrease to reduced throughput and lower production levels across the European Union, and has criticized processors for unjustified price cuts. The total number of sheep slaughtered in Ireland this year is down by nearly 169,000 head, with a decrease in the processing of hoggets, ewes, and rams compared to the same period in 2023.