An analysis of birth registration data published in the Department of Agriculture’s 2021 AIM Bovine Statistics Report shows a continued trend to a more condensed calving pattern.

Almost 50% of full-year births occurred in February and March 2021, with a further 15.2% occurring in April 2021.

On a numerical basis, the number of births recorded in February increased by 31,524 head to 633,621 calves on 2021 levels.

There was a similar increase of 31,274 more calves registered in March (569,017), while the number of calves registered in April fell by 15.2%, or 25,185 head, to 370,431, reflecting the tighter calving pattern and the move in dairy herds to match calving with grass growth.

Significant change

This is especially evident when comparing trends over the last decade, as reflected in Table 1 below.

The number of calves born in February and March 2021 was recorded at 364,417 and 428,806 head respectively.

This equates to 17.8% and 21.7% of the national calf crop in both of these months, while the more spread-out calving period is demonstrated in 17.6% of calves born in April 2011 and 10.8% in May 2022.

The number of calves born has increased sharply over the last decade, with total birth registrations increasing by 346,132 head, or 17%, to reach 2,431,683.

This has been driven by continued growth in the national dairy herd, as reflected in Figure 2, with birth registrations rising by some 485,951 head, or 45%, and recorded at 1,556,520.

The number of births registered to suckler dams in contrast, at 875,163, head has reduced by 139,819, or 14%.

The greatest period of growth was from 2014 through to 2016, with over 180,000 more calves born on Irish farms.