The latest calf registration figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) shows that there have been almost one million more calves registered to dairy cows than have been registered to suckler cows to date this year.
According to ICBF’s live statistics, as of Friday, May 17, 1.4 million (1,403,000) calves had been registered to dairy cows, versus the 407,945 calves registered to suckler-bred cows this year.
The figures show that just short of approximately one million (995,055) more calves have been registered to dairy cows, than have been registered to suckler cows this year.
Looking at this year to date compared to last year, and the number of calves registered to dairy cows has increased by 4,600 head, but the number of calves registered to suckler cows has fallen by 32,700 head.
The overall number of calves registered to date this year stands at just over 1.8 million, down 28,000 on the same time period of last year.
Suckler and dairy cow numbers
While the rate of growth in dairy cow numbers is decreasing, the decline in beef-breed cow numbers is increasing.
According to ICBF figures, there were just under 845,000 suckler cows in Ireland in 2023, down 4.6% on the previous year.
To put this in to context, the ICBF figures show in 2013, there were just over 1.1 million suckler cows in the country.
On the contrary, the rate of growth in dairy cow numbers is slowing with 1,664,180 dairy cows recorded in Ireland in 2023, up 0.9% from 2022 figures.
In 2013, there were just over 1.2 million dairy cows in the country.