Suckler cow numbers up by almost 19,000 head

The collapse in the national suckler herd witnessed over the last decade – with numbers falling by almost 300,000 head, or 30% – has abated.

Analysis by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) shows that the number of suckler cows on farms on 31 July 2026 increased by 18,956 head compared to 31 July 2025. The 2.7% increase in cow numbers leaves the suckler herd standing at 734,068 head.

The welcome stabilisation in the herd size is stemming from improved optimism generated by record cattle sale values in 2025.

The improved producer sentiment resulted in fewer cows being culled with the ICBF figures showing 44,723 fewer beef cows culled in 2025 and 23,481 fewer cows culled in the first six months of 2026.

Furthermore, there has been an increase in the number of first-calf heifers entering the national herd. This figure increased by between 7% and 8% in the first half of the year, with anecdotal reports indicating that the number of maiden heifers put to the bull in 2026 has remained positive.

Birth registrations to beef cows up to the week ending 11 September 2026 are running 23,342 ahead, or 3.9% higher, at 620,830 head. Birth registrations of dairy cows, at 1,505,302, are running 20,642 ahead, or 1.4% higher, for the same period with growth in dairying resuming after a brief reduction.

Beef kill

Meanwhile, an analysis of beef kill data shows the kill to date in 2026 is running at its lowest level in over a decade. Throughput for the year to date, at 1.08m head, is running 41,648 head, or 3.7%, lower than the corresponding period in 2025. However, the situation could change significantly before the end of the year with throughput in recent weeks trending over 5,000 head per week higher than in 2025.