An analysis of the latest cow slaughter figures published by the Department of Agriculture shows the number of dairy cows slaughtered in 2026 running broadly in line with 2025 figures for the first eight months of the year.

The dairy cow kill stands at 179,134 head compared with 180,282 head for the corresponding period in 2025.

Dairy cow throughput had been running over 13,000 head lower for the first six months of the year, but there was an increase in slaughterings in July and August as farmers moved to reduce demand for grass in response to drought conditions.

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The number of dairy cows in the kill profile for these two months was 46,779 head compared with 33,358 head in 2025.

While the increase in those two months was significant, the number of cows culled from the dairy herd is low relative to the size of the herd.

The number of cows slaughtered in 2025 was recorded at just over 250,000 head, which is about 17% of a replacement rate when based on a herd of 1.5 million cows.

Beef cow kill

Meanwhile, the number of beef cows slaughtered in 2026, at 57,614 head, is running 20,451 or 26% lower than in 2025. This has altered the dairy:beef ratio of the kill from 70:30 in 2025 to 76:24 in 2026.

The reduction in the beef cow kill comes on the back of renewed confidence in suckling and farmers opting to reduce the rate at which cows are being culled. In contrast to dairy cows, the number of cows drafted for slaughter in July and August reduced by 1,226 head to 16,502.

September kill

There is no detailed data on slaughterings by cow type for September, but an analysis of the normal weekly kill data shows cow throughput running at 20,788 head.

This is 4,272 or almost 26% higher than the corresponding period in 2025. This shows that the slightly higher rate at which dairy cows were culled in July and August has slowed during September.