Irish food board, Bord Bia has projected a sharp upsurge of 70 000 in the number of cattle processed in Irish factories.
This comes after a steep drop in the head of cattle recorded last year.
Board sector manager, Mark Zieg, said the cattle quantity dropped by 112 000, resulting in the total number of processed cattle for that year dropping to below 1.69 million.
He said there is a growing trend in the registration of calves each year, with a 2% growth and a 4% for dairy cows.
Zieg forecast the beef kill to be ranging around 1.76 million cattle.
He also gave an overview of how the increased level of cattle being processed is to be spread evenly throughout the year, however, highlighting that it is yet to be confirmed whether beef finishers have decided to “dig deep and spend money on expensive feed or will choose to “push those cattle out to grass”.
Bord Bia also projected that although Ireland will see an increase in cattle availability, “tight supplies are very much a feature for the year ahead”.
Zieg expressed confidence that the new year is set to bring, “a good thrive in grass, cattle and market”.
LSL News.