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Market forecasts show the number of cattle on NI farms at the start of September and destined for beef production is higher year-on-year.
Based on data compiled by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), there are currently 122,477 beef animals aged 24-30 months on NI farms. That is a 9.8% increase year-on-year, equating to approximately 11,000 additional cattle to come on the market in the months ahead.
However, there are strong signs the UK beef market can absorb an increase in numbers.
Market analysts with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) forecast a decline in cattle availability in Britain during the final quarter of this year.
That outlook is based on a 4.4% decline in the British suckler herd in 2023 and higher-than-expected slaughter numbers during the first half of 2024.
Irish beef exports into the UK are also set to decline with Bord Bia analysts predicting 2024 slaughter figures to fall by 30,000 to 40,000 head on 2023 levels. The majority of that downturn is expected to materialise in the last quarter of the year.
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