The total number of calf registrations on Irish farms has reached 1,349,492 head for the year-to-date based on the latest data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
Births to dairy dams have reached 1,140,794, while births to beef dams have reached 208,698 head for the year-to-date.
Compared to 2023, the number of registrations is down with 1,385,343 registered in the same period in 2023, or a reduction of 35,851 head.
Registrations to dairy dams are down 6,332 head, while registrations to beef dams is down 29,519 head compared to the same period in 2023.
Calf registrations
The total number of calves registered to dairy dams has reached 1,140,794 head, with 41,064 calves in the week ending April 5.
Compared to the same week in 2023, there has been a significant decrease in the number of calves registered – with 20,378 fewer calves registered.
Some 14,642 calves were registered to beef dams in the week ending April 5, which is down from 29,679 head for the same week in 2023.
Genotyping programme
The update from week 14 of the National Genotyping programme (NGP), shows that 483,276 passports have been issued to-date.
The update from April 2 said that in week 14, another 33,000 calf samples were received in the lab and more than 38,000 samples processed.
ICBF said that 33,124 calf samples were received into the lab and 38,070 calf samples were processed.
The average turnaround time from birth to passport being issued was 13.4 days, with samples spending on average 3.9 days in the lab.
The average time from birth to sample being received in the lab was 9.5 days.
In total, some 494,799 calf samples have been received in the lab, with 486,193 samples genotyped to date and 483,276 passports issued for NGP calves to date.