Beef kill: Throughput for last week just shy of 36,000 head once again

The number of cattle slaughtered in department-approved Irish beef plants last week mirrored the previous week’s kill, with only a few extra cattle processed last week.

For the week ending September 25, 35,967 cattle were slaughtered at department-approved meat processing plants – up a very marginal 35 head on the previous week.

Looking at the kill figures from last week, starting with young bulls first, the number of these animals increased by 170 head and amounted to 1,654 head. Aged bulls decreased ever so slightly to total 591 head.

Taking a look at steers, the total number of bullocks processed amounted to 17,214 head, which represents a decrease of 396 head.

Week-on-week beef kill changes (week ending September 25):

Young bulls: 1,654 head (+170 head);
Bulls: 591 head (-23 head);
Steers: 17,214 head (-396 head);
Cows: 6,234 head (No change);
Heifers: 10,250 head (+332 head);
Total: 35,967 head (+35 head).

Furthermore, the number of heifers processed saw the greatest increase of all categories on the week before amounting to 10,250 head – which represented an increase of 332 head.

Meanwhile, the number of cows slaughtered equalled the previous week’s tally of 6,234 head.

Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine reveal that some 1,215,492 cattle have been slaughtered in Ireland this year so far.

Total kill figures to date this year (up to the week ending September 25);