Throughput at plants rises by 6%
The steer kill at the factories to the beginning of September was 41,000 head higher than the same period in 2002 an increase of over 7% following above-normal supplies through July and August.
The weekly steer kill dropped last week for the first time in two months.
Statistical data suggests that there should be sufficient animals on farms to ensure a heavy kill for the remainder of the year, but some sources are raising doubts about the supply and pondering if the peak of the kill has passed.
CSO data to the end of June 2003 put the national herd at 6,924,100 head a drop of 68,000 on June 2002. Of particular relevance to the beef industry is the number of animals over two years at the end of June which was given at 853,000, an increase of 9,000 on 2002.
But the imponderable for the statisticians now is what became of the 280,000 fewer calves and weanlings exported live in 2001 the year of FMD restrictions, which have not been accounted for either in the live exports or the factory kill to date. Are they still on the farms, what became of them?
Two weeks ago, the CMMS statistics showed that the national herd, as registered in the Bandon computer, was 7,074,000 head at December 31 2002, which was more than 700,000 head higher than the previously accepted figure for the total herd population, suggesting the additional animals must be on the farms.
The beef kill to the year end will be revealing.
