Calf registrations have surpassed 1.7 million head for the year to date, with a total of 53,628 calves registered in the week ending May 5.
Based on the latest figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), total calf registrations are actually slightly behind 2022, with 1,094 fewer calves registered in the year to date.
Some 1,750,171 were registered in the same period in 2022, while the figure currently stands at 1,749,077 head for 2023.
Calf registrations
A total of 28,839 calves were registered to dairy dams in the week ending May 5, which is 1,166 fewer calves than the same period in 2022 when some 30,005 calves were registered to dairy dams.
So far this year, the total number of calves registered to dairy dams stands at 1,356,956 head, which is ahead of 2022 when 1,331,728 calves were registered.
Unlike the dairy calves, which have seen a slight increase in the number of calves registered, the beef calves have seen a slight decrease for 2023.
Some 24,789 calves were registered to beef dams in the week ending May 5, which is 7,541 head behind the same period in 2022 when 32,330 calves were registered.
The total number of beef calves registered so far in 2023 stands at 392,121 head, whereas for the same period in 2022 the figure stood at 418,443 head.
Calf registrations up to and including the week ending May 5, 2023, and how many were registered in said week:
- Dairy calf births: 1,356,956 (+28,839);
- Beef calf births: 392,121 (+24,789);
- Total births: 1,749,077 (+53,628).
Breeding season
The breeding season has gotten underway on the majority of dairy farms across the country.
The start of the breeding season on dairy farms, can be described as the start of preparation for the calving season in 2024.
The success of the breeding season on farms, will dictate the success of the calving season in the following year.
Your main goals this breeding season should be:
- Obtain the highest genetic merit replacement heifers;
- Have high-quality beef calves to sell;
- Target a 90% three-week submission rate;
- Have 90% of the cows calved in six-weeks;
- Have a low empty rate.