Cattle slaughterings in Northern Ireland fell 4% during the first quarter of 2023, when compared with the same period last year.
The total number of cattle killed to the end of March this year was 121,974 head, which is 5,443 back on 2022.
The reduction in cattle throughput was reflected in lower processed beef output, which fell by 6.6%.
According to the latest report from the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), overall beef production during the first three months of the year totaled 40,354t, a decline of 2,893t.
However, 2023 beef output is running 2,906t or 7.7% ahead of 2021 levels, as throughput this year is running ahead of 2022.
Prime kill
The prime cattle kill, which accounted for 75% of overall slaughterings, was back almost 5,000 head to 90,870 during the first three months of 2023.
In fact, the steer kill dropped 9.4% compared with 2022, with 43,257 head being processed during the first 13 weeks of the year.
Meanwhile, the heifer kill, at 39,214 head, was more or less in line with throughput levels for 2022.
There were 8,399 young bulls slaughtered up to the end of March. This was a drop of 603 head or 6.7% from 2022 levels.
Calf slaughterings in Northern Ireland during the first three months of 2023 decreased year on year to total 1,528 head.
Cow throughput also declined marginally, with the kill back 349 head on 2022 levels. The total number slaughtered in the first quarter this year was 28,298 cows.
Carcase weight
The average carcase weight of prime cattle slaughtered in Northern Ireland up to the end of March was 341.1kg, a decrease of 8.3kg relative to 2022 when the average carcase weight was 349.4kg.
The average cow carcase weight so far this year has decreased by more than 8.5kg when compared with 2022 and by just over 12kg when compared with the same period of 2021.
“The decrease in prime carcase weights, alongside the decrease in throughput across all categories, has contributed to an overall decrease in the volumes of beef produced in Northern Ireland,” the LMC stated.
SHARING OPTIONS