Table: Irish calf numbers crossing by sea to 7 EU countries revealed
Over 270,000 head of Irish cattle have been exported to date this year, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
In the first 32 weeks of this year, or up to the week ending Sunday, August 9, a total of just over 273,500 cattle were exported from Ireland.
The largest majority of these were calves, with over 217,000 calves exported to mainland Europe and Northern Ireland.
The table below details Irish cattle export numbers by type for the first 32 weeks of 2024, 2025 and 2026:
| Category | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2024/26 | 2025/26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calves | 195,327 | 221,388 | 217,184 | +11% | -2% |
| Weanlings | 25,763 | 30,099 | 30,024 | +17% | 0% |
| Stores | 24,141 | 21,864 | 25,511 | +6% | +17% |
| Adult Cattle | 28,066 | 27,986 | 22,380 | -20% | -20% |
Irish cattle export numbers recovered significantly after a slow start and are now on par with 2024 levels but down on last year's levels.
2025 was a record year for Irish cattle export numbers but while overall cattle export numbers are down on last year, calf export numbers are only down by 2%.
Markets for Irish calves
News last week that Brittney Ferries plans to end its livestock transport services from Ireland to mainland Europe came as a shock to several key stakeholders involved in the trade of Irish calves to mainland Europe.
The news means that as it currently stands, there will only be one ferry company operating a transport service bringing for Irish calves over to markets on mainland Europe come spring 2026.
Calf traders supplying calves to markets in mainland Europe are understood to be examining the feasibility of alternative transport options for calves come spring 2027 but a large degree of uncertainty remains.
The table below details Irish calf exports by destination market for the first 32 weeks of 2024, 2025, and 2026:
| Weeks 1-32 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025/26 |
| Netherlands | 77,441 | 84,060 | 93,714 | 11% |
| Spain | 69,961 | 81,100 | 77,488 | -4% |
| Italy | 17,639 | 18,246 | 20,650 | 13% |
| Croatia | 3,080 | 1,970 | 9,759 | 395% |
| Northern Ireland | 5,008 | 6,981 | 9,524 | 36% |
| Hungary | 2,717 | 1,116 | 4,248 | 281% |
| Portugal | — | 586 | 989 | 69% |
| Poland | 14,581 | 25,178 | 811 | -97% |
| Romania | 4,660 | 1,386 | 0 | -100% |
| Other | 240 | 765 | 1 | -100% |
| Total | 195,327 | 221,388 | 217,184 | -2% |
As can be seen in the above table, The Netherlands, Spain and Italy are the three largest market destinations for Irish calves, followed by Croatia, Northern Ireland and Hungary.
The largest percentage growth in the Irish calf export market to date this year has been to Croatia, with export numbers up by almost 400% from under 2,000 calves last year to almost 9,800 to date this year.
