Supplies of cattle to meat plants continue to remain at high levels, according to Department statistics released today.
The total cattle kill of 32,449 for the week commencing April 28 was some 13% ahead of the same week in 2013. The steer kill of 11,078 last week is up 1,853 head or 20% on the corresponding year last week.
Similarly, the heifer kill is also up on 2013 figures. Last week supplies of heifers stood at 8,840, up 22%. Last week saw a falloff in the cow kill – down 7% on the same week 2013.
Northern Ireland
With the shorter working week the throughput of prime cattle in the NI plants last week totalled 5,627 head, down 740 head from the previous week.
Figures from the Livestock and Meat Commission imports of prime cattle from ROI for direct slaughter in NI plants last week totalled 218 head and accounted for four per cent of total prime cattle throughput.
Its statistics show that cow throughput in NI last week totalled 1,088 head compared to 1,124 head the previous week with 18 of these imported from ROI for direct slaughter. A total of 130 cows were exported from NI to ROI for direct slaughter last week with a further 21 cows exported to GB. A total of 137 clean cattle were also exported to GB for direct slaughter last week