There has been a decrease in the number of calves born so far this year compared to the same time last year, figures from the ICBF show.
According to the figures, calf births are 1.7% lower to the week ending March 18 on the corresponding period last year.
There have been 15,399 fewer calf births in Ireland over the period when compared to the corresponding time in 2015.
The fall in calf births is mainly due to a reduction in beef calf births, as dairy calf registrations have increased this year.
According to the figures, there have been nearly 10,000 extra dairy calves born this year, which is a 1.4% increase on the same time last year.
The increase in dairy births coincides with the much-heralded expansion on Irish dairy farms after the abolition of milk quotas last year.
Further growth in Irish national milk production is forecast in 2016. Teagasc says following the estimated 10% increase in production in 2015, further growth of 7% is forecast in 2016.
The increase in dairy calf births also follows a 10% increase in dairy cow numbers last year.
According to official figures, the Irish dairy herd stood at almost 1.23m head in December 2015, which is more than 100,000 head higher than the year before.
Figures from the CSO also show that the beef herd also increased in 2015, but the increase was only 1.1% which is much smaller than the growth witnessed in the dairy herd.
However, despite the increase in beef cow numbers, births from the suckler herd have declined this year.
Figures from the ICBF show that the number of beef calves registered has dropped by 25,000 head on last year’s levels.
