Fewer calves registered during the first half of 2024

Data provided by the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) concludes that a total of 286,037 head of calves were registered over the first half of 2024, this is 16,558 head of calves or 5.5 per cent behind levels reported during the corresponding period of 2023.

Within this overall decline of calf registrations, beef sired calves reported a decline of 6.5 per cent or 15,622 head meanwhile, dairy sired calves were back only 1.5 per cent or 936 head.

Commenting on this downward trend, agricultural market analyst, Claire McAnearney, stated: “The breed to report the largest year-on-year decline of 20 per cent was that of Wagyu, which consisted of 1,595 Wagyu calves registered over the first six months of 2024 compared to 1,994 head registered for the corresponding period of 2023.”

Despite this year-on-year decrease in registrations, Wagyu is still a breed which is growing in popularity across NI as registrations for this breed for the corresponding period in 2020 came to a humble total of 132 head which has grown with each year that passes.

The largest registration of Wagyu calves for the corresponding period was recorded in 2023, when registrations of this breed more than doubled from 917 head in 2022 to 1,994 head recoded in 2023.

Another breed to report a major registration decline was that of Jersey calves, which were back 19 per cent year-on-year, with a total of 686 head of calves registered for the first half of this year compared to 842 head registered during the corresponding period in 2023.

Jersey calf registrations for the first six months of this year are also 13 per cent behind levels during the corresponding period of 2022.

Aberdeen Angus remains the most popular beef sire with a six-month total registration of 62,110 calves, accounting for 28 per cent of all beef registrations for the first half of this year.

Commenting on this, Claire said: “Despite Aberdeen Angus calf registrations being almost two per cent behind levels for the corresponding period of 2023, this breed remains a clear top choice.”

Followed closely by Limousin and Charolais at 22 per cent and 21 per cent respectively, of the percentage proportion of beef sired calf registrations in NI by breed for the first six months of 2024.