The number of calves that were sired by Aberdeen Angus bulls in 2022 has increased by 6.2% on 2021 levels, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The department has recently published its Animal Identification and Movement System (AIMS) Bovine Statistics Report for 2022. The report includes data on Irish livestock births, movements and slaughterings from 2022.
While the number of Angus-sired calves increased, the number of Limousin, Charolais and Hereford-sired calves all decreased.
Looking at the dairy end, the number of Friesian-sired calves increased by 3.7% in 2022 to a total of 840,050 calves. 32,664 calves were registered to Jersey sires.
According to the report, 437,197 calves were registered to Aberdeen Angus sires in 2022; 370,090 calves were registered to Limousin sires; and 284,050 calves were registered to Charolais sires.
Number of calves registered to other sire breeds:
- Hereford: 241,116;
- Simmental: 75,204;
- Belgian Blue: 54,056;
- Aubrac: 27,132;
- Shorthorn: 20,224;
- Salers: 13,352;
- Blonde D’Aquitaine: 6,539;
- Speckle Park: 5,769;
- Montbelliarde: 5,749;
- Other: 26.902.
Increased use of sexed semen in the dairy herd in the 2022 and 2023 breeding season is expected to result in reduced Friesian-sire usage and higher use of beef-breed sires on dairy cows.
A total of 2,440,894 calves were registered in Ireland in 2022. 835,456 of these were registered to beef-breed dams and 1,587,438 of these were registered to dairy-breed dams.
On the dairy side, 1,493,793 of the calves registered in 2022 were from Friesian dams and 74,530 calves were from Jersey dams.
285,148 calves were registered to Limousin dams and 148,329 calves were registered in 2022 to Charolais dams.
1,561,137 of the calves registered in 2022 were registered to beef-breed sires and 879,757 of these were registered to dairy-breed sires.
Limousin is the most popular sire for beef-breed dams with 316,745 suckler cows having calves sired by Limousin bulls registered to them in 2022. This is followed by Charolais at 31.7% (270,470) and Aberdeen Angus at 11% (93,767).
Friesian is the most popular sire for dairy-breed dams at 830,059 (52.3%). This is followed by Angus at 343,430 (21.6%) and Hereford at 206,348 (13%).