The beef kill was down slightly last week on the previous week. Statistics released from the Department of Agriculture this afternoon show that 31,933 beef animals were killed last week, which is 477 down on the previous week.

Within the beef figures the steer kill remains up on last year’s figures. 12,717 steers were killed last week this is running 20 per cent ahead of the same week last year. So far this year 489,417 steers have been killed so far this year that figure is 12 per cent ahead of last year’s cumulative figures.

The young bull kill remains down on last year now running five per cent behind last year’s figures. 3,506 young bulls were killed last week. This equates to a massive 35 per cent drop compared to the same week last year. However the young bull kill is up on the previous week with 600 extra bulls killed last week.

The heifer and cow kill was down last week on the previous week. In total 7,306 cows and 7,850heifers were killed last week. Cumulatively the heifer and cow kill is up seven and 14 per cent respectively on the same week last year.

Last week’s sheep kill was up three per cent on the same week last year. The total weekly sheep kill last week was 56,754 this compares to 57,672 from the previous week. Cumulatively the sheep kill is up nine per cent on 2012’s figures at this stage. To date 2,426,797 sheep have been killed since the start of the year.

The number of lambs killed last week was down on the previous week at 46,657. The total lamb kill is up eight per cent so far this year on 2012 figures. The figure for ewe/ram slaughtering’s was up at 9,629 which is 23 per cent up on the same week last year.