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Supply chain forecasts show fewer beef cattle on NI farms at 1 June when compared to the previous year.
The analysis, compiled by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) using APHIS data, estimates there are 5,131 fewer animals on farm aged between the 12 and 30 months which are destined for slaughter.
Within those cattle aged between 24 and 30 months, numbers are down 2% or 2,252 head. This is offset by an additional 2,963 animals between 18 and 24 months of age, while there are 5,842 fewer cattle aged 12 to 18 months year on year.
Calf registrations
LMC analysis also shows beef calf registrations are down 1.2% from January to May 2023 when compared to the same period last year.
There were 192,846 beef calves registered during the first five months of the year, down 2,348 head on 2022 levels. Calves registered to a suckler dam totalled 115,659, a drop of more than 9,000 head from the 124,775 births registered last year.
However, this has been partly offset by a marked increase in beef calves registered to a dairy dam, which stands at 76,653 head, up from 69,964 in 2022.
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