Beef kill running just over 33,700 head behind 2022

737,216 cattle have been slaughtered in Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine-approved beef plants so far this year, data from its beef classification and price reporting division shows.

The cumulative beef kill stood at the above figure at the end of the week commencing Monday, May 29^th, 2023, and excludes this week’s (commencing June 5^th) throughput.

According to the DAFM, the 2023 beef kill to date can be broken down as follows:

• 56,858 young bulls – category A;
• 11,541 bulls – category B;
• 263,057 steers – category C;
• 163,998 cows – category D;
• 210,429 heifers – category E;
• 30,387 – veal category V (under 8 months of age);
• 946 – veal category Z (veal 8-12 months).

Over the past 22 weeks, the beef kill peaked at 38,840 head in week seven (commencing Feb 13^th), with 2,806 young bulls, 505 bulls, 13,289 steers, 7,717 cows, 11,149 heifers, 3308 from category V (veal) and 66 from category Z.

The beef kill has exceeded the 38,000 head mark on two occasions this year so far, with 38,403 head processed in week 8 and 38,110 head during week 9.

Meanwhile, 29,132 were processed during week one, which commenced on January 2^nd, 2023, with 9,813 steers, 9,852 heifers, 5,635 cows, 3,579 young bulls, 222 bulls, 1 animal in category V and a further 30 in category Z.

Beef kill

So how do beef kill figures in 2023 so far compared to 2022?

During the corresponding period last year, the beef kill stood at 771,007 head, which is 33,791 head more than this year.

According to the DAFM, the 2022 beef kill from week 1 to week 22 inclusive can be broken down as follows:

• 65,522 young bulls – category A;
• 12,038 bulls – category B;
• 274,252 steers – category C;
• 170,686 cows – category D;
• 219,669 heifers – category E;
• 27,868 – veal category V (under 8 months of age);
• 942 – veal category Z (veal 8-12 months).

Differences 2023 VS 2022:

• 8,664 fewer young bulls slaughtered in 2023;
• 497 fewer bulls in 2023;
• 11,195 fewer steers in 2023;
• 6,688 fewer cull cows in 2023;
• 9,240 fewer heifers in 2023;
• 2,519 more of category V (veal);
• 4 more in category (veal) Z.

The kill dropped as low as 26,810 head during week 1 and peaked at 39,168 head during week 12, and hit near this mark in week 10, with 39,114 head.

Besides, throughput reached over 38,000 in week 6, with 38,220 head, 38,804 head in week 7, 38,707 head in week 8, 38,813 head in week 9, 38,346 head in week 13, and week 14 with 38,982 head.

This week, That’s Farming also brought you a story on the quantity of beef that has entered the Irish market through imports in recent years.

Ireland imported over 51t of beef (49% increase) in 2022