Official figures show that some 39,466 cattle were killed last week in Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine approved beef plants.
This was a decrease of 515 head on the previous week; although this decrease can be partly attributed to the number of calves processed last week, which accounted for 3,025 head of the total kill.
With the inclusion of last week’s kill, the cumulative kill for 2020 is now up to 325,778 head, which is back on the 327,090 head of cattle that had been killed at this stage in 2019.
Looking at the figures in more detail, the number of steers slaughtered was down slightly to 12,978 head; while the number of heifers slaughtered came in at 11,442 – just 16 head less then the previous week.
Cows accounted for the third-largest segment of the kill last week, with 7,319 head killed; while the number of young bulls killed was back to 3,954 head.
Unsurprisingly, aged bulls accounted for the smallest segment of the weekly kill, with 748 head killed last week – up slightly on the previous week.
- Young bulls: 3,954 head (-298 head or -7%);
- Bulls: 748 head (+158 head or +8.4%);
- Steers: 12,978 head (-407 head or -3%);
- Cows: 7,319 head (+300 head or +4.3%);
- Heifers: 11,442 head (-16 head or -0.14%);
- Total: 36,441 head (-363 head or +1%).
Year-on-year supplies
When taking into account last week’s kill, there have been almost 325,800 cattle processed so far this year.
By the corresponding week in 2019, there were some 327,090 cattle killed – a drop of 1,312 head or approximately 0.4% in 2020.
Interestingly, the number of aged bulls, steers and heifers killed so far this year is currently ahead of this stage in 2019. However, young bulls and cows have seen a decrease in kill numbers in 2020, dropping (compared to 2019) by 11,719 head and 6,410 head respectively.
- Young bulls: 42,412 head ( -11,719 head or -21.6%);
- Bulls: 4,863 head (+701 head or +16.8%);
- Steers: 108,341 head (+8,720 head or +8.75%);
- Cows: 59,002 head (-6,410 head or -9.8%);
- Heifers: 101,565 head (+2,757 head or +2.8%);
- Total: 316,183 head (-5,951 head or -1.8%).