Friesian births increase by almost 30,000 head in 2022

Friesian was the most common sire choice in 2022 with 830,059 Friesian-sired calves born to dairy dams.

The data published in the Department of Agriculture 2022 AIM Bovine Report shows Friesian births increased by 29,780 head on 2021 levels with the breed the sire recorded for 52.3% of dairy birth registrations.

The Aberdeen Angus breed also recorded a significant increase as detailed in Table 1 with 20,066 more Angus calves registered bringing the total births to dairy dams to 343,364 head or 21.6% of all dairy births.

This is in contrast to Hereford usage with 14,496 fewer Hereford-sired calves born (206,348).

The use of Limousin genetics also dipped, with 53,345 Limousin calves registered, down 8,653 head.

Jersey birth registrations reduced by 2%, or 983 head, to 32,451, while Belgian Blue births trended in the opposite direction, rising by 1,052 head.

Limousin is the main sire used on beef dams at 37.1% of all sires. This percentage has not changed, despite 9,630 fewer calves being sired to the Limousin breed. The number of Charolais-sired calves born fell by 13,836 head, or 4.9%, and was recorded at 270,470 head in 2022.

Aberdeen Angus sire usage continues to record a gradual increase in suckler herds with 1,693 more calves sired by Angus genetics bringing the total to 93,767 head.

Belgian Blue usage also increased by 2,971 head in 2022 with the increase likely linked to a vibrant trade for show-type animals.

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Friesian genetics dominate and account for in excess of 41%, or 2.68m head, of the national herd.

Limousin is next up and is the breed recorded as the sire of over 1m animals (15.86%) in Ireland.

Growth in the Aberdeen Angus breed (774,371) in dairy herds, in particular, has lifted the breed above the Charolais breed (714,861), while Hereford is the sire breed on over 500,000 animals.