The number of calves born in Ireland to date this year has fallen by over 34,500 head, according to the latest figures from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
As of Friday, June 28, ICBF figures show that a total of just under two million calves have been registered this year (1,999,543). That figure is over 34,500 head (34,666) of calves below the number registered in the same time period last year (2,034,209).
The number of dairy calves born this year is slightly above last year, while the number of suckler-bred calves registered this year has fallen.
According to ICBF figures, as of June 28, just over 523,500 (523,627) calves had been registered to suckler cows this year. This figure is down 35,248 head from the 558,885 calves registered to suckler cows in the same time period last year.
Looking at dairy births from this year and ICBF figures show 1,475,906 calves were registered to dairy cows this year, which is an increase of just 582 head on the 1,475,324 calves registered to dairy cows in the same time period last year.
Cow numbers
Latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) show that as of May 1, 2024, there were 808,509 suckler cows in the country and 1,658,753 dairy cows in the country.
When those figures are compared to May 1, 2023, a drop in both suckler and dairy cow numbers has been seen this year.
On May 1, 2023, DAFM figures show there were 855,896 suckler cows and 1,682,163 dairy cows in the country.
The DAFM figures indicate that suckler cow numbers fell by over 47,000 head in this 12 month period and dairy cow numbers fell by over 23,000 head.
Dairy cow numbers in Ireland had been growing substantially since the removal of milk quotas in Ireland but it appears that high level of growth has now stalled and numbers are now beginning to steady.