Carcass weights increase in 2005
All categories of cattle slaughtered at the meat plants are showing an increase in the average weight, indicating producers are retaining animals for longer on farms, following the ending of the Cattle Census Date criteria for production supports which came into effect ad from January 1 last under the Single Payment System.
Analysis for the year by Board Bia indicates supplies are unlikely to far exceed the 1.6 million head mark this year - total slaughtered last year was 1.76m - with the lower intake a pattern of the trade since the beginning of the year.
On a pattern of similar carcass weights to 2004, beef production in 2005 was set to decline by 30,000 tonnes, but the deficit is now considered to be about half that.
For the first nine months of the year the average carcass weight of bullocks slaughtered was 352kg, an increase of 16kg/head on last year. Heifers are averaging 289kg this year, an increase of 14kg/head. Young bulls are showing an increase of 33kg/head average at 349kg and cull cow weights are 9kg/head higher at 310kg.
On this basis estimated production of beef for the year is calculated at 524,000 tonnes, down 2.7% on last year, amounting to about 15,000 tonnes less. This will maintain the level of beef available for export much closer to 2004 than had been anticipated on the basis of the number of livestock going through the factories being down 6% on 2004. Year to date bullocks are showing the largest decline in numbers at 10%, while heifers are 9% lower than last year for the first nine months of this year.
