The total number of Irish cattle exports has increased by over 12,000 head when compared to figures from the same period in 2021. According to the latest export statistics, the number of store and adult cattle exported decreased, but the number of calves and weanlings exported has increased.
However, on 29 March this year, calf export capacity suffered a setback when the Stena Horizon vessel entered dry dock for a routine service, with the vessel to resume sailing on Saturday 30 April at the earliest. Meanwhile an increase in the number of Irish cattle exports is generally seen as positive news by beef farmers, as it reduces the amount of cattle available in the system which helps to shift the supply and demand dynamic more in favour of the beef farmer. The large volume of calves exported to date this year are primarily dairy-bred male calves destined for veal production in countries in mainland Europe.
The figures indicate that the Netherlands has taken the largest number of Irish bovine livestock to date this year (on a per head basis). Customers in the Netherlands buy mainly calves and the number of cattle traded to the country has more than doubled in the first 14 weeks of this year compared to the same time period last year.
Looking at the local export numbers, Northern Ireland has experienced a decline in livestock exports as the figure has fallen below 12,000 head.