Some 10,235 births were registered for the week ending 30 September this year compared to 16,760 for the same week in 2015.

This is a difference of 6,525 calves.

The difference was most marked in relation to beef calves, of which 4,375 less were registered this year.

As for dairy calves, some 2,150 less were registered this year compared to 2015.

There were 743 less pedigree registrations this year compared to the same week in 2015.

Year-to-date

Calf birth registrations for the year-to-date, however, are running slightly ahead of 2015.

So far in 2016, 46,855 more calves have been registered with ICBF than were registered by this time last year in 2015.

Dairy births are running ahead by 67,647, while beef births are behind by 20,792.

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