Analysis of calf registration data for the first three months of 2023 shows continued steady growth in online calf registrations.

The number of calves registered in Q1 was recorded at 1.28m head, which equates to 87.4% of all calves registered in the first three months of the year.

The percentage of calves registered online has increased by 2% to 3% in each of the last five years, as detailed in Figure 1.

Growth in online calf registrations is likely to be underpinned by more farmers utilising farm software packages and the Department of Agriculture’s calf registration app launched in 2020.

Sire type

An analysis of the data also shows changing trends in dairy breeding.

The number of calves born to a beef bull in Q1 of 2023 was recorded at 818,132 head. This represents an increase of 65,964 head on the corresponding period in 2022 and tallies with an increase in the use of sexed semen and beef sires.

The ratio of dairy females to males born in 2023 is running at 54.2%:45.8% compared with 51.6%:48.4% in the corresponding period in 2022.