Over 10,700 cows were processed at Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) approved factories last week, making it the highest weekly cow kill on record, with a weekly breakdown of figures available on the DAFM website as far back as January 2020.
This is understood to be the highest weekly kill of cows since December 2004, almost 18 years ago.
The total number of cattle processed at DAFM-approved factories to date this year is now almost 120,000 cattle ahead of the same time period last year (including veal).
Last week’s supply of finished cattle was strong, with just under 39,900 cattle processed (excluding veal).
However, it is worth noting that the October Bank Holiday Monday and resulting four-day kill at processing sites the previous week contributed to this as lost time would have been made up.
According to DAFM figures, the number of cows processed to date this year as of Sunday, October 13, now stands at 347,542 head. This year’s factory supply of finished cows to date is running over 46,300 cows ahead of the same time period last year.
The table below shows a breakdown in the origin of the cow kill at DAFM factories from January to September of 2022 and 2021:
Suckler cows Dairy cows 2021: 85,992 167,685 2022: 94,062 199,884 Increase: +8,070 +32,199
While the supply of finished cattle overall has remained strong to date, the weekly kill numbers are forecast to decline in the lead up to Christmas. Figures from this week’s beef kill will be a good indicator as to whether that trend will materialise – and to what extent.
The level of heifers and steers processed last week was also high, at just under 10,950 and just over 15,400 head respectively.
The weekly numbers of young bulls being processed is also increasing, with just over 2,300 head processed last week, the highest level of bulls processed since mid-July this year.
While price cuts were applied by factories in recent weeks, there was never any question of demand being there for beef and factories across the country filled kill sheets out to maximum capacity.
Price cuts have now stopped and price increases have started to become available to farmers for prime cattle, after several weeks of price deductions during September and October.
Irish beef price at most sites remains well behind prices in key markets and while the logistics cost of getting product to these countries has to be accounted for, most would agree there is still scope for more price increases to be returned to farmers.