The English organisation for beef and lamb levy payers reports that cattle slaughterings in Ireland rose by 10% (160,000 per head) compared to 2013. There was also a 2% increase in carcase weights given the improved feed situation, which resulted in an even larger rise in beef production. Throughputs of prime cattle increased by 20% between 2012 and 2014 and prime cattle accounted for 75% of total slaughterings last year.

Higher beef production last year inevitably led to increased beef exports, especially to the UK. As a result the United Kingdom accounted for 44% of Irish exports last year.

Forecast for beef production

Interpreting data from Bord Bia, Eblex reports that pressure from Irish supplies is expected to ease considerably this year as slaughterings are forecast to fall by 8% (120,000 to 150,000 per head). Consequently Irish beef exports this year are expected to fall by more than 8% or 50,000 tonnes to approximately 480,000 tonnes.

Lamb production

Irish sheep meat production edged up a fraction last year. Production amounted to 58,000 tonnes, an increase of 1%.

A smaller carryover of lambs in 2014 on the back of bad weather and a lower level of adult culling in 2013 resulted in lamb slaughterings in the first three months of last year being substantially below the corresponding months in 2013. In addition, export data from Northern Ireland indicated that significantly fewer live sheep were exported direct into the ROI for slaughter, further limiting Irish kill at that time.

However, increased lamb slaughterings during the April to September period meant that during the year as a whole, lamb slaughterings were a fraction ahead of 2013 at 2.5 million head, a rise of 1% on the previous year.