Cattle throughput in slaughter plants approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has fallen by over 50,000 head when compared to figures from the same time period last year.
According to figures released by the department this week, the cumulative beef kill for this year (including the week commencing June 21) stands at 778,066.
Department figures from the same period last year (including the week commencing June 15, 2020) show that 831,692 cattle had been presented for slaughter – leaving a shortfall this year of 53,626 head of cattle in factory throughput.
Looking at last week’s cattle kill figures, we can see an increase of 812 head on the previous week’s throughput.
However, this will be little consolation for management staff in beef factories across Ireland as last week’s national kill of 30,283 head still falls 6,139 cattle short of the number presented for slaughter in the same week last year (36,422 head).
The current trend echoes Bord Bia’s prediction earlier this year that the cattle supply available for slaughter is expected to take a hit by 100,000-120,000 head this year.
Why are supplies back?
Speaking earlier this year about the reasoning behind fewer factory cattle being available, Bord Bia’s Joe Burke explained:
“There are a few factors behind this reduction. The year of 2019, in particular, was very strong for calf exports, so many of them were exported out of the country at that time.
“Combining this with a reduction in young bull finishing, these young male animals which would have previously been slaughtered as young bulls, are now being slaughtered up to nine months older. This is likely to push more of these males to be slaughtered into next year.
“Finally, we have seen very strong exports to Northern Ireland, which has taken a lot of cattle out of the system,” Burke added.
Recovery of cattle throughput for 2022
The shortage of cattle supplies in Ireland is expected to be shortlived it seems, as Joe Burke stated that the numbers of cattle available for slaughter will recover in 2022 and 2023.
This is due to calf exports suffering a decline last year and at the beginning of 2021.
Adding the males that have not been slaughtered as young bulls this year to the mix, Bord Bia projects this will increase throughput back to the levels seen in 2020.