Slaughtering at 1.7 million head

Marts: Total cattle slaughterings at the Irish export plants for 2007 levelled off at just less than 1.7 million head — exactly the same as 2006.

A decline in the number of bullocks was made up by an increase in the supply of young bulls. The number of heifers supplied was also slightly higher and the number of cows slaughtered was slightly lower.

The end of year figures have thrown no light on the reason for the unexpected strong supply of cattle to the plants throughout the autumn, which was up to 60,000 head higher than expectations.