After an extremely challenging year in 2018, live exports of cattle to Northern Ireland have recorded significant improvement for the year to date.

Total exports to the week ending 10 August 2019 have been recorded by Bord Bia at 20,140 head, almost double the volume of 10,283 head crossing the border north for the corresponding period in 2018.

Increase across all classes

There has been an increase recorded across all classes of stock.

The number of cattle travelling north for direct slaughter is reported by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) at 7,575 head to the week ending 17 August 2019.

This is a long way ahead of the figure of just 1,845 head for the corresponding period in 2018 and also marginally ahead of the figure of 7,375 for the full year in 2018.

Lift in exports

The lift in exports north for direct slaughter is said to be underpinned by greater purchasing activity for store heifers by feeders supplying the wholesale market, while higher numbers of dairy heifers and cows have also moved across the border.

DAERA figures to the end of July show 6,802 females over six months of age, 4,753 calves and 930 males over six months of age.

Exports historically higher

While the doubling in live exports is hugely welcoming, it should be pointed out that volumes exported still remain well short of levels recorded just a few years ago.

This follows a collapse in the trade for cattle moving north for direct slaughter in 2016, as reflected in Figure 1.

The fall in exports for direct slaughter stemmed from two main avenues, the first of which is issues with the processing of cattle born in Ireland and slaughtered in northern plants.

Nomads

These animals became commonly known as nomad cattle, as, under EU beef labelling legislation, they could neither be classified as Irish or UK cattle.

To have a designated national identity, an animal must spend its entire life and be slaughtered in one jurisdiction.

With retailers unwilling to carry such a product, processors were restricted in their purchasing and turned to importing beef in carcase rather than live form.

This was a particularly hard blow to farmers and marts located in the midlands and border region.

The total number of cattle exported for direct slaughter reduced from an average of over 29,000 head during the period 2013 to 2015 to just 10,580 in 2016, 11,188 in 2017 and 7,375.

There was a marginal reprieve at the start of 2017, but exports followed a more erratic pattern and were influenced by fluctuations in the value of euro to sterling.

This has also been a major factor in numbers moving north in 2018 and 2019, with tighter supplies in July and August 2019 helping wholesale demand for good-quality heifers and top-quality beef cows.