Beef kill: Cattle supply for 2026 nears par with last year
The total number of cattle slaughtered at Irish factories this year is nearing the same level as last year, according to latest Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) figures.
The 2026 beef kill had been trending below last year for the first half of this year but has been running above last year's figures for the second half of this year.
Two weeks ago, the beef kill was over 9,000 head of cattle above the same week last year and last week, kill numbers were up by over 6,600 head.
It should be noted that in 2025, 1.59 million cattle were slaughtered in Ireland, back 213,000 head on the number of cattle slaughtered in 2024.
The chart below shows total annual Irish beef kill figures by year:
Earlier this year, Bord Bia forecast the 2026 beef kill to be somewhere similar to 2025 levels but current supply trends would suggest kill numbers this year could well surpass last year's.
The graph below illustrates how kill numbers this year have been trending ahead of last year:
Anecdotal conversations with beef industry stakeholders would suggest the prolonged dry spell this summer saw more farmers push forward store cattle on for finishing earlier than usual.
It will be interesting to see if this trend materialises in weekly kill figures.
The table below details weekly beef kill numbers in the week ending Sunday, October 18, 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 Sun, October 18 | Same week last year | Change | Cumulative 2026 | Cumulative 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulls | 388 | 367 | +21 (+5.7%) | 20,890 | 20,023 | +867 (+4.3%) |
| Cows | 7,129 | 6,079 | +1,050 (+17.3%) | 278,238 | 284,929 | -6,691 (-2.3%) |
| Heifers | 10,339 | 7,522 | +2,817 (+37.5%) | 390,170 | 399,277 | -9,107 (-2.3%) |
| Steers | 15,617 | 12,790 | +2,827 (+22.1%) | 508,498 | 502,759 | +5,739 (+1.1%) |
| Young bulls | 1,279 | 1,351 | -72 (-5.3%) | 87,104 | 85,421 | +1,683 (+2.0%) |
| Total | 34,752 | 28,109 | +6,643 (+23.6%) | 1,284,900 | 1,292,409 | -7,509 (-0.6%) |
Conversations with factory procurement staff would suggest larger numbers of cull cows are currently coming available.
Factories are currently particularly keen for in-spec prime cattle as the lead-up to the Christmas market fast approaches.
