Official figures have showed that 36,949 cattle were killed in Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine approved beef plants during the week ending February 9, 2020.

This is an increase of 715 head on the previous week’s kill and some 1,621 head less than the corresponding week in 2019, when there were 38,570 cattle processed.

The cumulative kill number is now up to 206,625 head for 2020 so far, with the inclusion of last week’s kill.

Image source AgriLand-Weekly-Kill-graph-week-commencing-Feb-3

Looking at the figures in greater detail, the number of steers and heifers processed last week was 12,539 head and 11,654 head respectively; when combined, these account for 65% of the total kill last week.

There were a total of 7,110 cows slaughtered last week. This accounted for the third-largest segment of the kill, while young bulls (5,050) and aged bulls (536) combined, accounted for approximately 15% of the weekly kill.

Week-on-week beef kill changes (week ending February 2):
  • Young bulls: 5,050 head (-16 head or -0.3%);
  • Bulls: 536 head (+43 head or +8%);
  • Steers: 12,539 head (+239 head or +2%);
  • Cows: 7,110 head (+356 head or +5%);
  • Heifers: 11,654 head (+86 head or +0.7%);
  • Total: 36,949 head (+715 head or +2%).

Year-on-year supplies

As already stated, there have been just shy of 207,000 cattle killed in Ireland this year so far – a drop off of 7,982 head or almost 4% when compared to the corresponding week in 2019.

Increases have been seen in the number of aged bulls, heifers and steers processed this year. However, young bulls have declined by 6,676 head, while the number of cows killed is also behind this stage in 2019 by 5,873 head.

Year-on-year beef kill changes:
  • Young bulls: 29,636 head ( -6,676 head or -18.4%);
  • Bulls: 2,865 head (+478 head or +20%);
  • Steers: 69,188 head (+3,949 head or +6%);
  • Cows: 37,662 head (-5,873 head or -13.5%);
  • Heifers: 66,958 head (+474 head or +0.7%);
  • Total: 206,625 head (-7,982 head or -3.7%).