Department of Agriculture records show the beef kill for the first quarter of 2020 on a similar footing to 2019.

The latest figures for the week commencing 09 March 2020 show this year’s kill starting to edge ahead of 2019, with 405,491 animals slaughtered compared to 400,181 head for the corresponding period in 2019.

The main driver pushing the 2020 kill ahead is higher numbers of calves coming on stream. Throughput in recent weeks has averaged around the 3,000 head mark, twice the level for the corresponding period in 2019. Total throughput of calves is following a similar trend at 16,266 head compared to 8,114 in 2019.

Significant changes

There are also significant changes across other categories of stock. There were many anecdotal reports of finishers who faced challenges in getting young bulls marketed in 2019 changing their production system. This is starting to ring true in young bull throughput, with the kill for the year to date recorded at 49,419 head and running 14,724 head above 2019 levels.

Steer kill

This in turn has led to higher numbers of steers in the system. The steer kill for the year-to date is running at 134,617 head, an increase of 11,344 head. The heifer kill is also running ahead of 2019 with 124,532 head processed, an increase of 4,734 head.

This is balanced up by the cow kill running a similar number behind 2019. There have been 73,949 head slaughtered in 2020 compared to 78,975 head in 2019. The cow kill has not increased to the level expected given the national dairy herd has expanded to almost 1.5m head and the suckler kill is running ahead of recent years.

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