Supply of sheep meat may increase

Marts: The latest forecast from the British Meat and Livestock Commission in relation to sheep-meat is that output is expected to stabilise this year and possibly increase in the next number of years as the industry recovers from the effects of 2001.

The British breeding flock is expected to show little change from 2004 as numbers remain stable at 16.3 million head, almost 20% less than the flock size during the early nineties.

The Meat and Livestock Commission expects that lamb slaughterings for 2005 will show an increase of about 2% resulting from an improved lambing rate.