Harsh winter means lowest lamb crop since 1980s for UK
13/05/2013
“It has been clear for some time that the lambing rate would be lower, as the poor weather in 2012 and associated feed problems will have resulted in many ewes being in poor condition at tupping,” said Eblex senior analyst Paul Heyhoe in a statement.
He went on: “At this level, the 2013 lamb crop would be the smallest in many years, as the low rearing rate is compounded by the fact the breeding flock is still around a third lower than it was in the 1990s.”
The impact of the low 2013 crop is likely to be felt during the second half of 2013 and the first half of 2014, with the lamb kill during this period projected to be 7% down year-on-year, provided the season is not further affected by adverse weather conditions.
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