The number of cattle slaughtered in January increased by 7.9% when compared with the same month in 2023, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said.
Data on livestock slaughterings for January 2024 published today (Tuesday, February 27) shows that the number of cattle processed was up by 12,115 head to nearly 166,000 last month.
This figure included 53,300 bullocks, 54,900 heifers, 41,100 cows, 16,100 bulls and 200 calves.
CSO
The CSO said that sheep slaughterings in January were approximately 259,000, up 6,124 head or 2.4% when compared with 12 months earlier.
Of that figure, the data shows that 229,000 lambs were slaughtered.
The number of pigs processed in factories rose by 1,719 head (+0.6%) to just over 298,000 in January.
Meanwhile, the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that the Irish factory cattle supply has increased by 9,500 head to date this year.
As of Sunday, February 18, DAFM figures show a total of 244,698 cattle had been slaughtered at DAFM-approved factories, up 9,521 head from the 235,177 head of cattle slaughtered in the same time period of 2023.
The cow kill has attributed the highest volume increase to the factory cattle supply this year with an additional 7,616 head.
The young bull kill has declined by 2,163 head and this has been replaced by the rise in the steer kill, which has grown by 2,460 head.
The rise in the steer kill can be partially attributed to the market preference for steer beef as opposed to bull beef.