The first 12 weeks of 2022 have been positive, overall, for Irish cattle exports (including calves).
According to Bord Bia, a total of 95,787 cattle (including calves) have been exported in this timeframe.
This marks a 10,000-head increase when compared to the same period in 2021, and more than 7,500 ahead of the first 12 weeks in 2020.
Increases have been witnessed in the calf and weanling category, while decreases have been seen in the store and adult cattle category.
Last year, the big talking point on the export front was the surge in demand from Northern Ireland for forward-type beef cattle.
In the first 12 weeks of 2021, a total of 15,982 cattle (excluding calves) had been exported to Northern Ireland.
In the same time period this year, that figure reduced by over 6,000 cattle to 9,922 cattle exported to Northern Ireland.
Despite this, Northern Ireland is still buying the largest number of Irish cattle (excluding calves).
Lybia has taken the second-highest number of Irish cattle (excluding calves) at 5,000, followed by Italy at 3,250, Spain at 2,200, and Jordan at 1,600.
Week 12 of this year was a record week for Irish livestock exports with a total of over 19,000 cattle exported.
Calf exports
Looking solely at calf exports, the number of calves shipped in the first 12 weeks of this year stands at 72,154 head.
With data available as far back as 2015, this is the second-highest volume of calves shipped in the first 12 weeks.
The largest market for Irish calves so far this year has been the Netherlands, which as taken over 43,000 Irish calves, followed by Spain at 23,400 calves, and Italy at 2,508 calves.