The total calf exports from Ireland to date this year has surpassed 110,000 head, according to the latest figures from The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
A total of 110,200 calves have been exported from Ireland as of Sunday, April 21.
The number of calves exported this year has fallen by just under 18,150 head or 14% in the first 16 weeks of this year, compared to the same time period of last year.
The Netherlands remains the largest market for Irish calf exports, with just under 47,500 calves sold to the country in the first 16 weeks of this year.
In the same time period of last year, calf exports to the Netherlands were 34% higher, with just under 71,500 calves sold to the region in the first 16 weeks of last year.
Spain remains the second-largest export market destination for Irish calves with just over 36,500 calves sold to the country to date this year. This volume is up 10% on last year.
Customers in Italy and Poland have both purchased similar volumes of Irish calves this year with just under 9,000 calves sold to both countries this year.
Customers in Northern Ireland and Romania have both purchased similar numbers of Irish calves this year with 3,247 calves going to Northern Ireland and 3,058 going to Romania.
1,400 calves have been sold to customers in Croatia and 561 calves have been sold to Hungary also this year.
The total number of cattle exported from Ireland in the first 16 weeks of this year is just over 144,000 head, back 7% on last year.
Weanling exports are back 10% to just under 10,000 head but store and adult cattle exports have both increased by 73% and 40% respectively.
Just over 9,700 store cattle have been exported this year, up from the 5,600 store cattle exported in the same time last year.
Meanwhile, just under 14,500 adult cattle have been exported this year, up 40% from the 10,300 cattle exported under this category in the same time period of last year.
Calf slaughter
The number of calves slaughtered at DAFM-approved factories has fallen by over 13,200 head to date this year.
As of Sunday, April 28, 17,118 bovine animals were slaughtered in the Category V. This category includes all calves slaughtered under eight-months-of-age. In the same time period of last year, 30,336 calves were slaughtered in this category.