Figures have indicated to a slight reduction in the number of calves registered to suckler cows during the month of August 2019.
Figures taken from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation’s (ICBF’s) database show that some 35,600 calves were registered to suckler cows during the month of August – a fall of 4,042 head when compared to the corresponding period in 2018.
- 2019 – 35,600 head;
- 2018 – 39,642 head;
- 2017 – 41,621 head;
- 2016 – 43,909 head;
- 2015 – 34,696 head;
- 2014 – 42,778 head;
- 2013 – 37,532 head.
Meanwhile, looking at the data provided so far for 2019, figures from the ICBF show that some 806,511 calves were registered to suckler dams up to the period ending November 1. When compared to the corresponding period in 2018, that’s a drop of 27,036 head or 3.2%.
Moving on to dairy registrations, just over 1.41 million calves were registered to dairy dams between January 1 and November 1 – a rise of 22,315 head on the numbers witnessed during the same period in 2018.
When the respective fall and rise in suckler and dairy births are accounted for, it brings the total number of calves registered on Irish farms to just shy of 2.22 million – 4,721 head lower than the corresponding period in 2018.