The factory supply of young bulls has fallen by over 10,000 head or 11% to date this year, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

As of the week ending, Sunday, August 13, a total of 81,480 young bulls had been slaughtered at DAFM approved factories in total this year.

In the same time period last year, this figure stood at 91,568, indicating a total of 10,088 fewer bulls slaughtered at DAFM approved factories.

DAFM classifies all bulls under 24 months of age as Category A or Young Bulls.

The table below gives an overview of the beef kill to date this year:

There are a number of possible reasons why the supply of bulls has fallen this year.

Currently, markets for Irish beef have a preference for steer or bullock beef and bonuses such as the 20c/kg Quality Payment Scheme (QPS) bonus and breed bonuses are generally available on steers but not on bulls.

A 12c/kg QPS bonus is available at most sites for in-spec under-16-month bulls.

Bulls over 16 months and under 24 months of age are generally bought at a flat price per kg, depending on the grade.

Finishing bulls requires a particular skillset and is more reliant on concentrate feed than the conventional steer-beef finish. Many farmers agree that bulls are better feed converters and have better kill-outs also.

However, many efficient suckler farmers have a preference for finishing their herds' male progeny as bulls as it allows them to reach slaughter at a younger age.