2025 Irish cattle export numbers approach 310,000 head
Irish cattle export numbers for 2025 are approaching 310,000 head (308,903), according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
As of the week ending Sunday, September 7, the overall number of cattle exported from Ireland is up by 6% on last year and 13% on 2023.
Irish cattle export numbers got off to a very strong start in the first quarter of the year, however, export numbers have been operating at lower levels for most of summer 2025.
The strong Irish cattle prices is likely an attributing factor to this.
The table below details Irish cattle exports by destination in the first 36 weeks of 2023, 2024, and 2025:
| Destination | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024/2025 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 63,896 | 84,298 | 104,528 | +24% |
| Netherlands | 106,581 | 78,396 | 85,171 | +9% |
| Northern Ireland | 36,095 | 35,080 | 34,635 | -1% |
| Italy | 29,762 | 30,301 | 33,793 | +12% |
| Poland | 15,093 | 19,475 | 27,585 | +42% |
| Great Britain | 2,216 | 4,113 | 3,546 | -14% |
| Greece | 1,426 | 2,329 | 3,061 | +31% |
| Croatia | 70 | 3,854 | 2,621 | -32% |
| Morocco | – | 12,017 | 2,302 | -81% |
| Algeria | 518 | 2,037 | 1,967 | -3% |
| Israel | 3,443 | 5,481 | 1,855 | -66% |
| Romania | 2,598 | 5,248 | 1,479 | -72% |
| Hungary | 3,977 | 5,475 | 1,390 | -75% |
| Tunisia | 125 | 635 | 1,247 | +96% |
| Lithuania | – | 422 | 1,113 | +164% |
| Portugal | 239 | 136 | 1,063 | +682% |
| Slovakia | 1,040 | 518 | 583 | +13% |
| Slovenia | – | 68 | 527 | +675% |
| Other | 5,400 | 407 | 437 | -58% |
| Total | 272,479 | 290,930 | 308,903 | +6% |
As can be seen from the above table, Spain is the largest export market destination for Irish cattle, taking almost 105,000 cattle to date.
The table below details exports by cattle type for the first 36 weeks of 2023, 2024, and 2025:
| Cattle Type | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2023/2025 Change | 2024/2025 Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calves | 203,365 | 196,583 | 221,944 | +9% | +13% |
| Weanlings | 22,090 | 31,209 | 32,010 | +45% | +3% |
| Stores | 19,111 | 29,721 | 25,427 | +33% | -14% |
| Adult Cattle | 27,913 | 33,417 | 29,512 | +6% | -12% |
| Total | 272,479 | 290,930 | 308,893 | +13% | +6% |
Both calf and weanling export numbers are up on last year, but store and adult cattle numbers have fallen on 2024 figures.
Strong calf export demand this spring had a major impact on the rising calf prices as the year progressed, with rising domestic beef prices also partly attributing to the significant rise in Irish calf prices seen this year.
Conversations with mart managers indicate there remains a firm export demand at marts for 'U' grade and double-muscle weanlings, with buyers from Northern Ireland also increasing mart activity lately for all types of heavy cattle.
