Latest figures from the Department of Agriculture’s AIM system shows that registrations of Angus and Hereford calves are up by almost 20% respectfully year to date.

The figures show that so far this year 276,000 Angus breed calves have been registered to date up 19% or 43,000 head.

Meanwhile, the registrations of Hereford calves has also seen a substantial increase jumping 19.5% to 164,000.

Year-to-date total calf registrations are up some 6.6% or 110,000 head. Dairy calf registrations have seen the biggest increase up 94,000 head with registrations from the suckler herd up by 16,000 head.

Bord Bia

Bord Bia

The move to more traditional breeds has been driven in a large part by price bonus schemes offered by some of the main beef processors.

The Aberdeen Angus Producer Group ranges from 25c/kg in times of Standard production to 40c/kg in times of Off Season Production.

Accreditation under Irish Hereford Prime, gives farmers the opportunity to earn up to €129 extra on a 300kg carcass.

Nearly 1m dairy calves to be available to beef sector by 2020

There will be almost 1m dairy-bred calves available for beef production by 2020, according to Paul Crosson of Teagasc.

Speaking at a recent Irish Grassland Association beef tour he said it is expected that by 2020 Irish dairy farmers will be calving 1.25m cows.

Crosson said at the moment there are about 750,000 calves that are available for beef production from the dairy herd.

“By 2020 this will be about 950,000,” he said.