Beef kill: Weekly factory cattle supplies dip slightly
Weekly factory cattle supplies dipped slightly in the week ending Sunday, September 13, to just over 32,500 head, according to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) figures.
However, weekly factory cattle kill numbers remain well above figures for the same week last year by a margin of 12.6%
Cumulatively, the total kill-to-date this year is over 37,000 head or 3.2% below this time last year, though is gap has been dropping since factory supplies began to increase in July.
The table below details weekly beef kill numbers in the week ending Sunday, September 13, 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 13 | Same week last year | Difference | Cumulative 2026 | Cumulative 2025 | Cumulative Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulls | 579 | 432 | +147 (+34.0%) | 18,676 | 17,978 | +698 (+3.9%) |
| Cows | 7,266 | 5,480 | +1,786 (+32.6%) | 243,617 | 256,322 | -12,705 (-5.0%) |
| Heifers | 9,080 | 8,337 | +743 (+8.9%) | 340,601 | 359,703 | -19,102 (-5.3%) |
| Steers | 14,277 | 13,503 | +774 (+5.7%) | 431,679 | 437,552 | -5,873 (-1.3%) |
| Young Bulls | 1,312 | 1,111 | +201 (+18.1%) | 79,736 | 79,929 | -193 (-0.2%) |
| Total | 32,514 | 28,863 | +3,651 (+12.6%) | 1,114,309 | 1,151,484 | -37,175 (-3.2%) |
As can be seen in the above table, overall supplies are down on last year but weekly kill numbers are well up in each category.
Last year saw strong supplies in the first half of the year and weaker factory cattle supplies in the second half of the year.
The graph below illustrates how factory cattle supplies have recovered since the start of July:
This week, as we headed into the National Ploughing Championships for 2026, factory quotes saw minimal movement, with several outlets holding their price offers for beef cattle at the same level as the previous week.
Heifers were still generally being quoted at the €6.50-€6.55/kg mark on the grid, and steers (bullocks) at €6.40/kg on the grid.
This time last year, as farmers were preparing for the 2025 National Ploughing Championships, heifers and steers were being quoted at €7.30 and €7.20/kg on the grid respectively.
According to Paul Nolan of Dawn Meats, who was a guest on a panel discussion as part of Agriland's 'Beef Brief' podcast from the 2026 National Ploughing Championships, the current base price for bullocks and heifers is "not bad considering where we are in terms of demand in the market".
He explained that this year he has seen "a very sluggish demand right since Christmas, right across Europe".
Nolan added: "That was very much borne out by the fact that we've had everyone has talked about the relatively low numbers going through the factories this year, and yet it seems to satisfy the demand or lack of that was there."
