CMMS figures show 500,000 cattle ‘lost’
There has been an average loss of 2,400 head of livestock per week between 2002 and 2006, not accounted for by animal deaths or exports.
All cattle born in Ireland or imported go into the electronically compiled records, as do those slaughtered or exported live.
A note in the 2004 report stated, “There is a difference of some 87,000 head between the end-year live animal population figure in the 2003 report and the start 2004 figure in the report. The difference arises from an exercise undertaken in 2004 which resulted in the previous identity of re-tagged animals being removed from the live animal database”.
However, “deletion” of livestock has not ended. At the end of 2004, a further 11,826 animals were removed, and at the end of 2005 there was a deletion of 68,668, which was more than 1,300 head per week for the year. The largest discrepancy occurred in the change-over from 2002 to 2003, when 330,728 animals were removed. In 2006, the number of calf births registered has fallen from 2,150,065 in 2005, to 2,131,262.
* Seán Scully of the Irish Cattle and Sheepfarmers Association said the CMMS figures indicate a shortfall of 60,000 to 70,000 cattle between now and year end, which should drive up cattle prices.
