The factory supply of young bulls has fallen by over 10,000 head or 11% to date this year, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
As of the week ending, Sunday, August 13, a total of 81,480 young bulls had been slaughtered at DAFM approved factories in total this year.
In the same time period last year, this figure stood at 91,568, indicating a total of 10,088 fewer bulls slaughtered at DAFM approved factories.
DAFM classifies all bulls under 24 months of age as Category A or Young Bulls.
The table below gives an overview of the beef kill to date this year:
Type Week ending
Sunday, August 13Equivalent
Last YearCumulative
2023Cumulative
2022Young Bulls 1,302 1,805 81,480 91,568 Bulls 549 673 17,926 18,039 Steers 15,982 16,590 393,040 404,521 Cows 6,547 6,231 241,685 248,931 Heifers 8,887 9,201 297,263 306,173 Total 33,267 34,500 1,031,394 1,069,232
There are a number of possible reasons why the supply of bulls has fallen this year.
Currently, markets for Irish beef have a preference for steer or bullock beef and bonuses such as the 20c/kg Quality Payment Scheme (QPS) bonus and breed bonuses are generally available on steers but not on bulls.
A 12c/kg QPS bonus is available at most sites for in-spec under-16-month bulls.
Bulls over 16 months and under 24 months of age are generally bought at a flat price per kg, depending on the grade.
Finishing bulls requires a particular skillset and is more reliant on concentrate feed than the conventional steer-beef finish. Many farmers agree that bulls are better feed converters and have better kill-outs also.
However, many efficient suckler farmers have a preference for finishing their herds’ male progeny as bulls as it allows them to reach slaughter at a younger age.