The number of steers sent for processing that were short of flesh has increased by almost 4% on last year.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that a total of 23,466 steers were recorded between between January 1 and June 15, this year.
In the same time period, a total of 266,920 graded steers were slaughtered, according to the DAFM figures.
Under the grid payment system for steers and heifers, cattle do not qualify for the 20c/kg in-spec bonus if they have a fat score of 1, 2- or 2=.
Heifers generally tend to get to the adequate fat cover relatively easily at lower weights, while steers take longer and are generally heavier weights when they reach adequate fat cover.
Table 1. Count within grades for all steers slaughtered from January 1, 2022 to June 15, 2022 achieving a fat scoring between 1- and 2=
1- 1= 1+ 2- 2= Total E+ 0 E= 1 1 8 11 10 31 E- 4 4 4 22 40 74 U+ 6 16 59 160 376 617 U= 5 30 76 232 543 886 U- 15 29 106 356 768 1,274 R+ 21 61 138 404 1013 1,637 R= 24 65 156 471 1163 1,879 R- 32 55 190 514 1105 1,896 O+ 29 78 203 535 1213 2,058 O= 34 102 292 712 1631 2,771 O- 64 184 412 1,047 2,175 3,882 P+ 110 203 587 1,191 1,964 4,055 P= 116 146 317 611 808 1,998 P- 49 51 86 117 105 408 Total: 510 1,025 2,634 6,383 12,914 23,466
During the same time period in 2021, a total of 11,959 steers that achieved a fat score of between 1- and 2= were slaughtered.
The total number (all grades and all fat scores) of steers slaughtered over the same time period in 2021 was 242,865.
This represents an increase in slaughter of 24,055 head of bullocks from 2021 to 2022.
Table 2. Count within grades for all steers slaughtered from January 1, 2021 to June 15, 2021 achieving a fat score between 1- and 2=
1- 1= 1+ 2- 2= Total E+ 0 E= 2 10 10 22 E- 1 3 4 17 36 61 U+ 2 14 41 109 250 416 U= 4 7 47 135 404 597 U- 2 16 71 177 544 810 R+ 5 15 94 232 610 956 R= 9 26 78 212 612 937 R- 12 28 69 228 654 991 O+ 13 35 94 280 656 1078 O= 10 48 104 347 801 1310 O- 24 41 117 433 1087 1702 P+ 29 55 181 427 1052 1744 P= 38 57 142 238 524 999 P- 38 26 49 98 125 336 Total: 187 371 1,093 2,943 7,365 11,959
In terms of overall steer kill, there was an increase of 3.9% in the number of steers with a fat score of between 1- and 2= from 2021 and 2022.
Table 3. The percentage change between 2021 and 2022 in terms of overall kill within selected grades (far score 1- and 2=)
1- 1= 1+ 2- 2= Total E+ E= 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 E- 0.0 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 0.0 0.0 U+ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 U= 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 U- 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 R+ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 R= 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 R- 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 O+ 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 O= 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.5 O- 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.8 P+ 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.8 P= 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.3 P- 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 Total change: (%) 0.1 0.2 0.5 1.2 1.8 3.9
The figures show that just under 9% of the total number of graded bullocks processed within that time period graded short of flesh. The largest volume of these short fleshed bullocks fell under the P+ grade.