Total live cattle exports from Ireland have dropped by 24% with 52,513 fewer cattle being shipped between January 1 and November 7, 2015, compared to the same period in 2014.

During this period, the total number of live weanling exports dropped by 7,521 head or 29% compared to the same period in 2014, figures from the Department of Agriculture show.

These figures from the Department of Agriculture and presented by Bord Bia also indicate that the total number of store cattle exports have also dropped by 52.6% or 20,878 head.

There has also been a substantial drop in finished cattle exports, with 43,179 of these animals exported to November 7, which represents a drop of 15.6% or 7,951 on the same period last year.

This figure has improved slightly from October 31, when there were 16.1% fewer of this animals shipped through the live export market.

Live calf exports have also dropped by 16% with 16,163 fewer of these animals being shipped to date in 2015, these figures show.

Bord Bia 1

Live Exports to Continental Europe

According to these figures from the Department of Agriculture, total live cattle exports to continental Europe have dropped by 24.6% or 34,368 head.

The largest drops have occurred in Spain (15,223), Italy (6,081) and Belgium (21,155), while live cattle exports to Britain have also fallen by 6,965 head or 45.6%.

However, despite the fall of live cattle exports to continental Europe, increases have been recorded in both Northern Ireland and France.

Live cattle exports to Northern Ireland have increased by 6.1% or 2,860 head while exports to France have increased by 3,211 head or 60.7%.

Bord Bia 2

Total Non-EU Live Cattle Exports

Total live cattle exports to non-EU markets have dropped by 77.5% (13,949), these figures show.

The cessation of Irish exports to Libya, as a result of political turmoil is for the most part to blame for this fall in exports.

According to the Department of Agriculture, 433 Irish cattle made it to the Middle Eastern state in 2015, this fell from 14,150 in 2014.

Exports to the Lebanon have fallen by 68 head, while exports to Tunisia have increased by 421 to reach 3,304 head.