Decline in number of calves born

Marts: Limousin dams edged ahead of Charolais as the most dominant beef breed which gave birth to offspring in 2006, but the Charolais breed was by far the most popular choice for sire.

A total of 2,131,262 calves were registered for 2006, slightly lower than 2005, as the number of calves born into the Irish breeding herd continued to decline.

In the overall national herd, the Computerised Movement Monitoring System has shown 996,657 Friesian cows gave birth to calves in 2006 mainly catering for the dairy herd. On the beef side, 272,023 Limousin cows gave birth with the Charolais breeding herd marginally lower at 262,107 and in fourth place Simmental at 158,767.