The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has said that 725,516 bovines were sold in marts during the first four months of 2024.
This is down slightly (2,710 head) when compared to the same period last year during which 728,226 cattle were sold in marts.
The data shows that 31,769 cattle went unsold at marts and were returned home, which is an increase of almost 4,500 head between January and April 2023 (27,319 unsold).
DAFM
The department said that 375,773 cattle were sold in marts in Munster in the four-month period, compared to 159,111 in Leinster, 119,321 in Connaught and 71,311 in Ulster.
Around 12,000 cattle were returned home unsold from marts in Munster, 8,350 in Connaught, 7,503 in Leinster and 3,843 in Ulster.
DAFM has also confirmed that 646,310 farm-to-farm movements of bovines were recorded up to the end of April this year.
This figure marks a drop of 43,543 on the same period in 2023 when almost 690,000 farm-to-farm movements were reported.
The data shows that 330,468 farm-to-farm movements recorded by cattle sellers in Munster, which is a decrease of 28,354 on 2023 (358,882).
There were 196,084 movements by sellers in Leinster (-11,678) 73,746 in Connaught (-4,146), and 46,012 (+637) in Ulster by the end of April.