The decreasing trend in suckler calf registrations has continued, recent figures released by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) show.

Looking at registration figures for the week ending November 16, a total of 6,757 beef calves were registered on Irish farms. This is a drop of 1,421 head when compared with the number of registrations for the corresponding week in 2017.

So far this year – up to the week ending November 16 – the total number of beef calf births stands at 847,542. That’s a total drop of 41,292 head on the number witnessed in 2017; this is a significant decrease of 4.6%.

Data source: ICBF

On the other hand, during the week ending November 16, the number of calves registered to dairy dams stood at 6,214 – back 389 head on 2017 figures.

ICBF figures indicate that – up to the week ending November 16 – 1,403,287 dairy calves had been registered. This is an increase of 41,783 head on the corresponding period in 2017.

Looking at overall calf registrations (both beef and dairy) in 2018, some 2,250,829 calves have been registered – an increase of 491 on 2017 levels.

Calf birth changes 2018:
  • Beef calf births: 847,542 (-41,292 head);
  • Dairy calf births: 1,403,287 (+39,317 head);
  • Total calf births: 2,250,829 head or (+491).