The total number of calf registrations in 2023 to-date stands just shy of two million at 1,941,492 head based on the latest data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
The total number of calves registered is down 14,843 head, for the same period in 2022 some 1,956,335 head had been registered.
Total calves registered to dairy dams has increased by 21,157 from 2022 to 2023, while the figure for calves registered to beef dams has fallen by 36,000 head.
Calf registrations
A total of 12,346 calves were registered to dairy dams in the week ending June 2, which is 1,169 fewer calves than the same period in 2022 when some 13,515 calves were registered to dairy dams.
So far this year, the total number of calves registered to dairy dams stands at 1,440,057 head, which is ahead of 2022 when 1,418,900 calves were registered.
Unlike the dairy calves, which have seen a slight increase in the overall number of calves registered, the beef calves continue to see a decrease in numbers for 2023.
Some 16,878 calves were registered to beef dams in the week ending June 2, which is 6,861 head behind the same period in 2022 when 23,739 calves were registered.
The total number of beef calves registered so far in 2023 stands at 501,435 head, whereas for the same period in 2022 the figure stood at 537,435 head.
The following is the number of calf registrations up to and including the week ending June 2, 2023, and how many were registered in said week:
- Dairy calf births: 1,440,057 (+12,346);
- Beef calf births: 501,435 (+16,878);
- Total births: 1,941,492 (+29,224).
Heifer weights
A focus now needs to be placed on monitoring the replacement heifer calves on your farm to ensure that they are achieving their growth targets.
During their first grazing season it is important that the calves are weighed on a regular basis to ensure that they are achieving their target weight gains.
Calves that fail to achieve target weights may have fertility issues and result in them failing to enter the milking herd.