Calf registrations have reached 1,952,842 head for the year to date, based on the latest data from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
The latest data from the week ending June 3, shows that 31,438 calves were registered on farms in the seven days prior; this is 3,507 head behind the same week in 2021.
Overall, calf registrations are ahead of those from 2021, by 2,062 head.
Calf registrations
A total of 11,595 calves were registered to dairy dams in the week ending June 3, which is 759 fewer than the same period in 2021.
Overall calves registered to dairy dams stands at 1,417,287, which is 22,218 head ahead of 2021 for the same period.
Calves registered to beef dams remains behind 2021 levels, with the deficit now standing at 20,156 head.
Some 19,843 calves were registered to beef dams in the week ending June 3; this is 2,748 behind the same period in 2021 when 22,591 were registered.
Overall registrations for calves born to beef dams stands at 535,555 head. At the same point last year, the total stood at 555,711 head.
Total calf births have reached 1,952,842 head registered so far in 2022. This is 2,062 head more than in the same period in 2021, when 1,950,780 head had been registered at this point.
Calf registrations up to and including the week ending June 3, 2022:
- Dairy calf births: 1,417,287 (+11,595);
- Beef calf births: 535,555 (+19,843);
- Total births: 1,915,453 (+40,191).
Shed cleaning
With the calving season on many dairy farms winding down, now is a good opportunity to get your calf shed cleaned.
During the calving and rearing period bacteria can build up in the shed, with these bacteria potentially causing sickness in calves.
To prevent this from happening it is important that calf sheds are cleaned out, steamed and disinfected before the next calving season begins.
If scour was an issue this year, it may be a good idea to determine which strain was causing the issue and use a disinfectant that is known to kill this bacteria.