7% less grain but only 2.2% fall in sucklers

Thursday, November 26, 2009

SUCKLER cow numbers have fallen by only 2.2%, according to the Central Statistics Office June livestock survey. Little change was seen in the total Irish cattle herd, but the sheep flock fell 5% (mainly due to a 6.9% reduction in ewes aged two years and over).

The CSO’s suckler numbers have eased fears of herd shrinkage raised by the number of cows on the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation database falling from 1,096,262 to 1,067,338 in the year to July 1.

Dairy cows increased by more than 1%, to 1.13m head. Breeding heifers for the dairy herd were up 1% to 227,000 head, but replacement heifers for the suckler herd dropped by 6%, to 139,000 head.

There was a rise of 48,000 head in cattle over two years old, according to the CSO survey. Numbers in the one to two year age group were relatively stable at 1.46m head, while numbers under one year fell by almost 2% to 1.59m, reflecting the live export trade early in 2009.

There were increases of 8.5% in female cattle aged two years and over, and 3.7% in male cattle aged two years and over.

* Preliminary estimates from the June 2009 agricultural survey show a decrease of 21,600 hectares (6.9%) in the area under cereals. Area decreased by 21.2% for wheat and 15% for oats, but increased 2.5% for barley.

The area under potatoes increased 8.2%.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, November 26, 2009