The beef kill so far in January is up 10,483 on the same stage last year. This is according to latest statistics from the Department of Agriculture.

Last week’s beef kill was 31,431 that is a 6.5 per cent increase on the same stage last year. The increase comes on the back of three weeks of increases since the start of the year.

The increased kill would seem to be following a trend which was outlined in Bord Bia’s outlook for 2014. In its export prospects document for 2014 it noted supplies at export plants are expected to increase this year by around 100,000 or 6 per cent. This is due to weak live cattle exports and a rise of more than 100,000 in calf registrations during 2012 all of which point to increased finished cattle availability in 2014.

This week’s figures broken down show that although the steer kill was down last week on the previous week, the kill is up on the same week last year. Some 8,861 steers were killed last week compared to 8,480 in 2013. This represents a 4 per cent increase over the same period.

In terms of the young bull market, some 5,498 bulls were slaughtered down slightly on the previous week. Cumulatively the kill is still well behind on the same period last year last year, down some 19 per cent.

The heifer and cow kill was relatively unchanged last week on the previous week, however it is significantly up on the same period last year. In total 9,368 heifers and 7182 cows were killed last week. Cumulatively the heifer and cow kill is up 17 and 13 per cent respectively on the same week last year.

Sheep

Last week’s sheep kill was more or less unchanged on the previous week. The total weekly sheep kill was 42,101. Significantly though the kill is 11% per cent behind on the same period in 2013.

Hogget throughput was very high last week and was reported to be 15,581. This represents a 81 per cent increase on the same period last week. Also of note was the lamb kill which was down 34 per cent on the same week last year to 19,974.

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