Factory supplies set to increase
Throughput at the factories for the year to date is down 84,000 head on the same period last year, with most of the decline accounted for by a drop of 74,000 head in the bullock kill, equivalent to 11% less than last year. Supplies of heifers are down by 9% amounting to 28,000 head.
Bord Bia says the tight supply of bullocks and heifers reflects lower calf registrations in 2002 and the recovery in the live exports of calves and weanlings in 2002 after the collapse of the trade in 2001 due to foot-and-mouth restrictions.
