2022 has been a strong year for Irish cattle exports, with a total of 221,838 head of cattle exported in the first seven months of 2022 according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The number of cattle exported as of July 31, this year, is running almost 24,000 head of cattle ahead of the number exported in the first seven months of last year.

As the table below indicates, the largest increase in export volumes was seen in the calf category.

Live cattle exports by type as of July 31, 2020-2022:

2020202120222020/222021/22
Calves:137,725136,763166,09721%21%
Weanlings:14,76611,18414,434-2%29%
Stores:16,34220,33319,42819%-4%
Adult Cattle:26,30329,59621,879-17%-26%
Total:195,136197,876221,83814%12%
Source: DAFM

The 2022 calf-exporting season is well wrapped up by now, with the largest volume of calves born on Irish farms and exported in springtime. Generally, the dairy breed male calves arrive first, which are then followed by the beef-sired dairy calves later.

Just over 166,000 calves were exported in the first seven months of this year, an increase of 29,334 calves or 21% on the same time period last year.

Live cattle exports by destination as of July 31, 2022-2022:

2020202120222021/2022
Netherlands:48,57648,09694,967+97%
Spain:67,37963,63359,343-7%
Northern Ireland:33,37846,21225,854-44%
Italy:16,82523,35021,636-7%
Libya:7,6364,9287,269+48%
Jordan:3,387
Poland:3,2369583,002+213%
Great Britain:4,2762,2502,323+3%
Greece:1,8361,2841,301
Hungary:2061,7151,138-34%
Lebanon:601
Belgium:4,0711,972572-71%
Portugal:120113-6%
Other:7,7173,358332-90%
Total:195,136197,876221,838+12%
Source: DAFM

As the table above indicates, the Netherlands has been the top destination for Irish livestock to date this year, accounting for just under 100,000 head, the majority of which were calves.

The number of cattle exported to the Netherlands this year is up by 46,871 head, or 97% on last year.

The number of livestock exported to Northern Ireland remains low, despite cattle supplies tightening in the region. Last year, exports of forward and finished cattle of all types to Northern Ireland performed strongly.