Beef kill

Falling cattle and sheep supply will squeeze factories

A big drop in cattle numbers this year plus a second year of reduced sheep numbers will create surplus processing capacity in factories.

NEWS 5 December 2025

Falling cattle and sheep supply will squeeze factories

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Ratio of dairy to suckler cows in beef kill unchanged

Ratio of dairy to suckler cows in beef kill unchanged

NEWS 22 November 2025

National cattle herd down 130,000 head

National cattle herd down 130,000 head

NEWS 19 November 2025

Beef quotes come under pressure this week

Beef quotes come under pressure this week

Beef quotes come under pressure this week

MARKETS 12 November 2025

Cattle sales in the marts exceeding expectations

Cattle sales in the marts exceeding expectations

Cattle sales in the marts exceeding expectations

MARKETS 5 November 2025

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Beef Trends: quotes jump for second week

Beef Trends: quotes jump for second week

Adam Woods has the latest on this week’s beef trade, including the latest factory quotes for finished stock.

MARKETS 4 June 2025

Scope to grow organic beef kill to over 30,000 head

Scope to grow organic beef kill to over 30,000 head

At last week’s Growing Prospects for Organic Livestock event, Good Herdsmen’s John Purcell that a deficit in beef production across Europe provides opportunities for Irish beef

SCHEMES 4 June 2025

Beef trends: 10-year low for mid-year beef kill

Beef trends: 10-year low for mid-year beef kill

Throughput since the start of July is running over 50,000 head lower than the corresponding period in 2025, with last week’s kill running 6,556 head behind 2024 levels

MARKETS 4 June 2025

Cattle herd is running 275,000 head lower

Cattle herd is running 275,000 head lower

The profile of the national herd has changed drastically over the last decade with over 500,000 fewer Charolais and Limousin stock replaced by Angus and Hereford cattle.

NEWS 4 June 2025

AIM analysis: over 130,000 fewer beef cattle on farms as of 1 June

AIM analysis: over 130,000 fewer beef cattle on farms as of 1 June

The recent fall in the beef kill looks set to continue with cattle numbers falling across almost all age categories.

NEWS 4 June 2025

Over 26% of cattle kill this year from finishing units

Over 26% of cattle kill this year from finishing units

Throughput from finishing units in the first four months of the year reached 167,000 head, an increase of 15,500 head on 2024 levels

NEWS 4 June 2025

Beef Trends: factories drop quotes by 10c/kg

Beef Trends: factories drop quotes by 10c/kg

Adam Woods takes a look at this week’s beef trade and what factories are paying for finished cattle.

MARKETS 4 June 2025

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