Suckler cow numbers have seen one of the largest drops in the last 10 years, with the latest release from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showing a drop of 43,000 sucklers (4.4%) between June 2020 and June 2021, an almost tripling of the drop for the previous 12 months.

Suckler cow numbers stood at 940,300 as of June 2021.

This is in contrast to the dairy herd, which has seen numbers grow by almost 37,000 cows (2.4%) for the same period to reach just over 1.6m dairy cows in the country in June 2021.

It is thought that the BDGP, which ran from 2015 to 2020, had a stabilising effect on suckler cow numbers, with farmers participating in the scheme required to maintain cow numbers for the duration of the programme.

While the scheme was extended for 2021, not all participants opted for the extra year and some have obviously chosen to exit suckler cow systems.

It is unclear as to whether this trend will continue at the current rate, given the uncertainty that exists around the sector and the level of supports that the suckler herd will attract in the next round of CAP.

Both the IFA and ICSA have maintained their stance on demanding a €300/cow suckler payment in their budget submissions to be funded from Pillar II payments and co-financed to the maximum rate from the Irish Exchequer.

The latest figures have come out as Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue continues his CAP consultation meetings in marts around the country. One of the most controversial aspects of a new combined BDGP/BEEP scheme was a proposed capping of suckler cow numbers for participants who would join the new scheme from 2023 onwards.