Cattle throughput stays at 2006 level

Throughput at the country’s meat export factories is almost on a par with 2006 for the first quarter of the year, with a substantial decline in bullocks being compensated by a higher kill of young bulls and more cows than last year.

Overall the total kill at 452,862 head is only 1,300 head more than for the same period in 2006.

Within the overall kill, the supply of bullocks is down over 8% — following a drop of 17,000 head — at 193,789 head which has been compensated for by an increase of 8,000 head, equivalent to over 9%, in the supply of cows and an additional 9,000 head of young bulls, reflecting an increase of 36% on the 2006 base of 25,521.