The supply of finished cattle to beef factories in Ireland has fallen by over 6,000 head in the first 10 weeks of 2022, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
A total of 334,548 cattle (excluding veal) have been processed at DAFM-approved factories in the first 10 weeks of this year. This figure is 6,152 head of cattle below the 340,700 cattle processed in the first 10 weeks of last year.
The news comes as Bord Bia has projected the supply of finished cattle in Ireland to fall by 50-60,000 head this year following the record-high number of cattle killed in 2022 when supply increased by 132,000 head on the previous year (2021).
The table below represents the weekly kill of heifers, steers, cows, bulls and young bulls at DAFM-approved factories in the first 10 weeks of this year and last year:
Animal Week ending
March 12, 2023Equivalent
last yearCumulative
2023Cumulative
2022Cumulative difference Young Bulls 1,999 2,604 30,642 35,183 -4,541 Bulls 535 563 4,317 4,085 +232 Steers 12,026 13,479 117,876 121,578 -3,702 Cows 7,528 7,948 78,811 74,002 +4,809 Heifers 9,613 10,377 102,902 105,852 -2,950 Total 31,701 34,971 334,548 340,700 -6,152
As the table above indicates, the largest drop in numbers has been seen in the young bull category with 4,541 fewer bulls processed in the first 10 weeks of this year.
The largest increase has been seen in the cow category with an additional 4,809 cows slaughtered in the first 10 weeks of this year.
Last week’s beef kill was 3,270 cattle below the equivalent week of 2021 and supplies have been forecast to tighten further later this month and into April and May.
The number of calves slaughtered at DAFM-approved factories in the first 10 weeks of this year stands at 17,730 and is 660 calves above the number slaughtered in the first 10 weeks of last year.