Ireland’s calving pattern has become increasingly condensed in recent years, with almost half of all births taking place in just a two-month window.
The number of calves born in February and March 2022, as reported in the Department of Agriculture 2022 AIM bovine statistics report, was recorded at 1.19m head.
This equates to 48.9% of the total birth registration figure for the year of 2.44m head.
A further 365,702 head, or 15% of births, were recorded in April 2022.
Slight changes
There has been slight changes when compared with the calving pattern for 2021.
There were 176,385 calves born in January 2022, up 17,103 head on the previous year. The 641,855 calves born in February 2022 represents a year-on-year increase of 8,234 head.
There was no real change to the number of births in the first four months of 2022, with the number of calves registered in March 2022 (550,249) down 18,768 head, while births in April (365,702) were 4,729 head lower.
Significant change
Calf birth registrations have increased by 238,443 head over the last decade. In the same period the number of calves born in February and March has increased by 261,047 head, as detailed in Figure 1.
There has been very little change in the second half of the year, with a significant number of births now recorded by suckler herds.
Birth registrations to dairy dams stood at 1,587,438 in 2022. This represents a year-on-year increase of 30,918 head, while registrations to dairy dams have increased by 212,480 head in the last five years and by 501,574 head over the last decade. This is reflected in Figure 2.
During the same period, birth registrations to suckler dams (853,456 in 2022) have reduced by 21,707 head compared with 2021 levels, while births have fallen by 121,746 head in the last five years and 216,707 head over the last decade.
Read more
36% of dairy births in Cork and Tipperary
Friesian births increase by almost 30,000 head in 2022
Ireland’s calving pattern has become increasingly condensed in recent years, with almost half of all births taking place in just a two-month window.
The number of calves born in February and March 2022, as reported in the Department of Agriculture 2022 AIM bovine statistics report, was recorded at 1.19m head.
This equates to 48.9% of the total birth registration figure for the year of 2.44m head.
A further 365,702 head, or 15% of births, were recorded in April 2022.
Slight changes
There has been slight changes when compared with the calving pattern for 2021.
There were 176,385 calves born in January 2022, up 17,103 head on the previous year. The 641,855 calves born in February 2022 represents a year-on-year increase of 8,234 head.
There was no real change to the number of births in the first four months of 2022, with the number of calves registered in March 2022 (550,249) down 18,768 head, while births in April (365,702) were 4,729 head lower.
Significant change
Calf birth registrations have increased by 238,443 head over the last decade. In the same period the number of calves born in February and March has increased by 261,047 head, as detailed in Figure 1.
There has been very little change in the second half of the year, with a significant number of births now recorded by suckler herds.
Birth registrations to dairy dams stood at 1,587,438 in 2022. This represents a year-on-year increase of 30,918 head, while registrations to dairy dams have increased by 212,480 head in the last five years and by 501,574 head over the last decade. This is reflected in Figure 2.
During the same period, birth registrations to suckler dams (853,456 in 2022) have reduced by 21,707 head compared with 2021 levels, while births have fallen by 121,746 head in the last five years and 216,707 head over the last decade.
Read more
36% of dairy births in Cork and Tipperary
Friesian births increase by almost 30,000 head in 2022
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