1,086,539 head have been slaughtered in Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine-approved beef plants so far this year, according to its database.
The national beef kill for the year-to-date is running 26,240 head behind the corresponding period last year.
An analysis of data from the department shows that more steers and heifers have been processed than this time last year, while the number of mature bulls, young bulls and cows has declined.
Breakdown
| Category | Year to date: 2020 | Year to date: 2019 |
Change: 2020 VS 2019 Head: |
| Steers | 410,168 | 372,567 | 37,601 |
| Cows | 224,181 | 231,609 | -7,428 |
| Heifers | 328,664 | 328,316 | 348 |
| Young bulls | 101,760 | 155,031 | -53,271 |
| Mature bulls | 21,766 | 25,256 | -3,490 |
| Total | 1,086,539 | 1,112,779 | -26,240 |
[Data source: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine]
Note: The above does not include beef throughput figures for the week commencing Monday, August 17th.
Image source: Gortatlea Mart
