Beef Kill: Weekly factory cattle supplies surpass 32,500 head
Weekly factory cattle supplies have been increasing for the past seven consecutive weeks, with almost 32,800 cattle slaughtered in the week ending Sunday, August 23.
Supplies have been rising since late June when weekly kill numbers were under 24,000 head.
Weekly factory cattle kill numbers are trending well above this time last year but the total kill-to-date this year is over 50,000 head or 4.8% below this time last year.
The table below details weekly beef kill numbers in the week ending Sunday, August 23, 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 Aug 23, 2026 | Same week last year | Weekly change | Cumulative 2026 | Cumulative 2025 | Cumulative Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young Bulls | 1,678 | 1,410 | +268 (+19.0%) | 75,520 | 76,690 | -1,170 (-1.5%) |
| Bulls | 608 | 441 | +167 (+37.9%) | 16,986 | 16,628 | +358 (+2.2%) |
| Steers | 15,076 | 11,680 | +3,396 (+29.1%) | 388,573 | 398,274 | -9,701 (-2.4%) |
| Heifers | 8,628 | 7,499 | +1,129 (+15.1%) | 312,769 | 336,395 | -23,626 (-7.0%) |
| Cows | 6,792 | 5,199 | +1,593 (+30.6%) | 222,886 | 240,472 | -17,586 (-7.3%) |
| Total | 32,782 | 26,229 | +6,553 (+25.0%) | 1,016,734 | 1,068,459 | -51,725 (-4.8%) |
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.
This year has seen supplies remain more consistent as weekly kill numbers hovered above or below 30,000 head, with the exception of June when supplies dropped off.
The graph below illustrates how factory cattle supplies have been trending compared to last year:
While weekly supplies are up on this time last year, overall cattle supplies are down on 2024 levels and this is the case across Europe.
Brazilian beef is set to be banned from entering the EU from Thursday, September 3, and it will be interesting to see the impact this will have on demand for Irish beef.
Some industry personnel expect it will be positive for Irish beef demand.
However, others are more concerned, saying that if this beef is diverted to the UK (which has not as yet adapted the same position as the EU). it could potentially have a net negative outcome on demand for Irish beef.
