There was a 13% increase in the number of prime cattle slaughtered in Northern Ireland (NI) during the first six months of this year compared with the same period in 2021.

The latest figures for the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) show that 191,197 prime cattle were slaughtered in the major NI processing plants in the six months to the end of June this year.

The number of cattle killed during the same six-month period in 2021 was 168,927. The figure for the corresponding period in 2020 was 168,790 prime cattle.

The increased prime cattle slaughterings in NI have occurred despite a decline in the number of prime cattle being imported for direct slaughter.

During the first half of 2022, a total of 5,373 prime cattle were imported from the south for slaughter in NI plants. This compares with 7,198 prime animals in 2021.

No prime cattle were imported from Britain for direct slaughter in NI during the first six months of either 2021 or 2022.

Low exports

Exports of prime cattle from NI for direct slaughter in Britain and the south remain extremely low. Just 236 prime cattle were exported during the first six months of 2022, compared with 393 during the same period of 2021.

The average carcase weight of prime cattle slaughtered to the end of June this year was 346.8kg, up 0.7kg from the same period in 2021.

The average carcase weight of steers was 363.8kg, up by 1.5kg from the corresponding period in 2021.

The average heifer carcase weight also recorded an increase year-on-year during the first six months of 2022, up by 1.3kg to 327.7kg.

The average carcase weight of young bulls fell 2.5kg to 342.2kg.

However, the combination of higher carcase weights in the steer and heifer classes, combined with the increased throughput, resulted in more prime beef being handled by NI processing plants during the first six months of the year.

Total beef output totalled 66,359t for the first six months of 2022. This was a 13.5% increase from the 58,483t processed during the corresponding period in 2021.