Calf registrations for suckler-bred animals have fallen by over 100,000 head in the last six years, while dairy numbers have increased by over 200,000 head.
The data on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) website shows that the number of calves born to suckler cows has dropped considerably in the last six years.
While in the post-quota era, dairy calf numbers have increased quite substantially in the same period.
Trends
Based on the ICBF data, the total number of calves registered for 2023 has fallen behind the number registered for the same period in 2022.
Some 1,967,589 head have been registered in 2023 to date, with this figure down 17,330 head compared to 2022 when 1,984,919 calves had been registered.
Although the total number of calves born has fallen behind 2022 levels, dairy calf numbers are up on 2022 by 21,573 head.
The biggest change however has been the suckler calf births, which are 38,903 head down on 2022 levels.
If you look back at the record from June 8, 2017, the number of suckler-bred calves stood at 624,995 head.
This means in the last six years, suckler calf number have dropped by 108,460 head.
At the same time in June 2017, dairy calf numbers stood at 1,229,935 head – which means in the same period, dairy calf numbers have increased by 221,119 head.
Calf registrations
For the week ending June 9, the number of calves registered, at 22,600 head, was down 5,978 head compared to the same period in 2022 with 28,578.
A total of 9,946 calves were registered to dairy dams in the week ending June 9, which is 629 fewer calves than the same period in 2022 when some 10,575 calves were registered to dairy dams.
So far this year, the total number of calves registered to dairy dams stands at 1,451,054 head, which is ahead of 2022 when 1,429,481 calves were registered.
Unlike the dairy calves, which have seen a slight increase in the overall number of calves registered, the beef calves continue to see a decrease in numbers for 2023.
Some 12,654 calves were registered to beef dams in the week ending June 9, which is 5,349 head behind the same period in 2022 when 18,003 calves were registered.
The total number of beef calves registered so far in 2023 stands at 516,535 head, whereas for the same period in 2022 the figure stood at 555,438 head.
The following is the number of calf registrations up to and including the week ending June 9, 2023, and how many were registered in said week:
- Dairy calf births: 1,451,054 (+9,946);
- Beef calf births: 516,535 (+12,654);
- Total births: 1,967,589 (+22,600).