Calf registration numbers are continuing to increase steadily and with February 1, the planned starting date for many dairy farmers, a further increase is expected in the coming weeks.
The last number of weeks have seen the number of registered calf births increasing week on week, as the spring-calving season kicks off.
With the week ending January 21, seeing a total of 46,907 calves registered, this has increased once again. An extra 5,154 calves have been registered, making the total for the week ending January 28, 52,061.
Calf registration
The latest figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) show that the week ending January 28, saw a total of 52,061 calves registered.
This brings the total number of calves registered this year so far to 101,721, which is slightly ahead of 2021 when 99,851 had been registered.
This is a decrease compared to the same time period in 2021, when 53,049 calves were registered.
Taking a closer look at the figures, we see that 42,505 dairy calves were registered in the week ending January 28 – which is a slight increase compared to 2021, when 42,603 calves were registered.
Taking a look at the beef births, we can see a decrease in registrations compared to 2021 figures.
For the week ending January 28, some 9,556 beef calves were registered, a decrease of 890 head compared to 2021, when 10,446 calves were registered.
Calf registrations up to and including the week ending January 28, 2022:
- Dairy calf births: 72,129 (+42,505);
- Beef calf births: 29,592 (+9,556);
- Total births: 101,721 (+52,061).
Hygiene
As the spring-calving season ramps up, maintaining hygiene levels during the calving season is important.
Poor hygiene can increase the amount of sickness and the disease young calves are exposed too.
Sick calves increase the workload in an already busy period and can have a detrimental effect on calf growth performance.