Beef kill: Cattle supplies remain firm as 'uplift in demand' expected
Just over 32,800 head of cattle were slaughtered in the week ending Sunday, September 6, according to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) figures.
Last week's beef kill was almost 5,300 head or 19.1% above the same week of 2025, but the cumulative kill-to-date this year is down by over 40,800 head or 3.6% on last year.
Cattle supplies remain relatively constrained across much of Europe, according to Bord Bia, which is "helping to provide stability to the beef trade".
Despite this, Bord Bia has said that "the inflationary pressures on consumers, combined with historically high beef prices, continue to affect beef purchasing volumes at both retail and foodservice level across key export markets".
The Irish food board's market analysis also notes that "an uplift in demand [for beef] is expected as we move into the final months of the year".
The table below details weekly beef kill numbers in the week ending Sunday, September 6, versus the same week of last year, the cumulative beef kill-to-date this year versus the same week of last year, as well as the change in numbers and percentage changes:
| Animal Type | Week ending Sunday, September 6 | Same week last year | Difference | Cumulative 2026 | Cumulative 2025 | Cumulative Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulls | 543 | 462 | +81 (+17.5%) | 18,095 | 17,546 | +549 (+3.1%) |
| Cows | 6,740 | 5,180 | +1,560 (+30.1%) | 236,349 | 250,842 | -14,493 (-5.8%) |
| Heifers | 9,525 | 7,657 | +1,868 (+24.4%) | 331,523 | 351,366 | -19,843 (-5.6%) |
| Steers | 14,630 | 13,232 | +1,398 (+10.6%) | 417,413 | 424,049 | -6,636 (-1.6%) |
| Young Bulls | 1,386 | 1,018 | +368 (+36.1%) | 78,415 | 78,818 | -403 (-0.5%) |
| Total | 32,824 | 27,549 | +5,275 (+19.1%) | 1,081,795 | 1,122,621 | -40,826 (-3.6%) |
The largest drop-off in supply this year has been in the heifer category with kill numbers down by over 19,800 head or 5.6%.
The cow and steer kill numbers are down by 14,500 and 6,600 head or 5.8% and 1.6% respectively.
The graph below illustrates how factory cattle supplies have recovered over the past six weeks:
Supplies are expected to remain steady into the final quarter of the year and the tight supply across Europe, coupled with the recent EU ban on Brazilian beef is expected to keep a firm base on Irish cattle prices into the final quarter of the year.
