Drop in number of factory cattle sourced from feedlots
The number of cattle being sourced by factories from Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) or 'feedlots' has fallen to-date this year, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
In the first 10 months of 2023, DAFM figures show a total of 335,500 head of cattle were slaughtered at EU approved factories that originated from a CFU.
In the same time period of 2022, that figure was 339,000, indicating a drop of 3,500 head in the first 10 months of 2023.
The table below shows a monthly breakdown of the kill numbers at EU-approved slaughter plants originating from a CFU:
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20,000 | 24,000 | 28,000 | 25,000 | 25,500 | 28,500 | 37,000 |
| February | 20,000 | 24,500 | 26,000 | 27,000 | 25,500 | 35,000 | 35,500 |
| March | 21,500 | 24,500 | 27,000 | 27,000 | 28,500 | 36,000 | 36,500 |
| April | 19,500 | 26,000 | 29,000 | 20,000 | 28,000 | 35,500 | 31,500 |
| May | 25,000 | 29,000 | 31,000 | 22,500 | 28,500 | 40,000 | 37,500 |
| June | 24,500 | 27,500 | 25,500 | 26,500 | 32,000 | 35,500 | 36,500 |
| July | 19,500 | 24,500 | 26,000 | 26,500 | 30,500 | 34,000 | 32,500 |
| August | 20,000 | 21,500 | 20,000 | 21,000 | 25,500 | 32,000 | 28,500 |
| September | 18,500 | 18,500 | 13,000 | 22,000 | 25,500 | 32,000 | 27,500 |
| October | 20,500 | 23,500 | 21,500 | 24,000 | 27,000 | 30,500 | 32,500 |
| November | 28,500 | 26,500 | 20,000 | 27,500 | 31,500 | 41000 | - |
| December | 25,500 | 25,000 | 21,500 | 30,000 | 33,000 | 36,500 | - |
| Total | 263,000 | 295,000 | 288,500 | 299,000 | 341,000 | 416,500 | 335,500 |
The 2023 total figure does not include data for November and December.
As the table above indicates, the number of cattle originating from CFUs had been generally increasing annually, with data available as far back as 2017. 2019 was an exception where numbers of CFU cattle dropped on the previous year.
As part of Ireland’s Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) eradication programme, if a beef finishing herd meets the necessary criteria, it is allowed to avail of a special status, known as a Controlled Finishing Unit (CFU).
A CFU herd is a specialised finisher of beef that does not deliberately engage in the active breeding of animals. It is a non-breeding herd which disposes of all cattle on the holding direct for slaughter, and poses a minimal risk of infecting cattle on adjacent holdings.
To be considered eligible for CFU status, the holding must fulfill at least one of the following three criteria:
- The cattle are permanently housed (never on pasture) or;
- There are no contiguous holdings with cattle or;
- The boundaries are walled, double fenced or equivalent so as to prevent any direct contact with cattle on contiguous holdings.
When a herd meets the criteria to be regarded as a CFU under the bovine TB Eradication Programme, the herd is restricted under the TB Regulations, and a special official supervisory and testing protocol is established.
Such herds are not exempt from testing, reactor removal or disinfection requirements. Restricted CFU herds (feedlots) are TB tested at least once a year.
According to DAFM, the CFU status arrangement allows the delivery of an effective level of disease risk management, while controlling the risk of further disease spread in compliance with animal health legislation, and enabling business continuity in this particular type of enterprise through the inward movement of cattle.
Cattle from CFU herds (feedlots) restricted under the TB Eradication programme are only permitted to move to an EU approved slaughter plant and may not be exported.
As of November 2022, there were 374 CFUs or ‘feedlots’ in Ireland.
