Number of cattle slaughtered down nearly 5% in a year
Between January and March 2023, cattle slaughterings decreased by 0.4% when compared with the same period in 2022.
Cattle slaughterings decreased by 4.9% in March 2023 when compared with March 2022, CSO figures show.
Between January and March 2023, cattle slaughterings decreased by 0.4% when compared with the same period in 2022.
Sheep slaughterings increased by 6.9% between January and March 2023 when compared with the same period in 2022.
In March 2023 alone, the number of sheep slaughtered rose by 13.2% compared with the same month last year.
CSO figures also show that the number of pigs slaughtered fell by 8.1% between January and March 2023 when compared with the same period in 2022, with an 8.2% decline in March 2023 compared with March 2022.
Due to a very difficult year and a half, there have been pig producers that have left the industry.
The Irish pig production forecast is likely to reduce by 8.5% for this year on 2022. This is the largest drop forecast of any European country.
This week, the Irish Farmers' Association acknowledged that the EU pig price is slowly stabilising, however, the Irish price is trailing behind its European counterparts by 14c per kg.
"The average European pig price for last week’s pigs was reported at €2.42 per kg which is significantly ahead of the Irish average price at €2.28 per kg," IFA national pig committee chairman Roy Gallie said.
"The recovery of the Irish pig industry from the recent period of two years of sustained loss-making hangs in the balance."
The average pig farm of 600 sows with large accrued debts must be allowed to recover before the next period of instability comes upon them, Mr Gallie stressed.
"We are calling on the processors to increase pig price for next week’s pigs as we must bridge this gap to ensure a sustainable future for the industry," he added.
