Beef Farming

Suckler cow and her calf.

A suckler cow pictured with her young calf. The cow would typically give birth (calve) in the Spring and her calf would suckle her milk until the autumn when he or she would be weaned onto a diet of grass and concentrates. The cows are bred to terminal beef sires selected for their carcase growth rate and conformation. The most popular breeds used in the beef cow herd are Charolais, followed by Limousin, Angus, Belgian Blue and Hereford.

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Suckler cow and her calf.
Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Suckler cow and her calf.

A suckler cow pictured with her young calf. The cow would typically give birth (calve) in the Spring and her calf would suckle her milk until the autumn when he or she would be weaned onto a diet of grass and concentrates. The cows are bred to terminal beef sires selected for their carcase growth rate and conformation. The most popular breeds used in the beef cow herd are Charolais, followed by Limousin, Angus, Belgian Blue and Hereford.

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A Charolais calf

Charolais cattle are the most popular beef breed in Ireland – (www.icbf.com). They originate in the Massif Central region of France, with the first imports to Ireland in 1969. Today, there are over 3,000 breeders of pedigree Charolais cattle in Ireland (www.charolais.ie). Pure bred or pedigree Charolais cattle have a distinctive white coat, although when crossed with other breeds they can be seen in various shades of grey or white. Their main attributes are fast growth, docility and ability to thrive when grazing or when fed intensively indoors.

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A Charolais calf
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A Charolais calf

Charolais cattle are the most popular beef breed in Ireland – (www.icbf.com). They originate in the Massif Central region of France, with the first imports to Ireland in 1969. Today, there are over 3,000 breeders of pedigree Charolais cattle in Ireland (www.charolais.ie). Pure bred or pedigree Charolais cattle have a distinctive white coat, although when crossed with other breeds they can be seen in various shades of grey or white. Their main attributes are fast growth, docility and ability to thrive when grazing or when fed intensively indoors.

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Research

Beef production from grass is one of Irish farming’s biggest sectors, accounting for approximately 30% of of the value of Irish agricultural output at producer prices (Teagasc, 2016). There are an estimated 940,000 suckler beef cattle in Ireland kept on just under 80,000 farms. These beef animals calve once per year, typically in Spring, with their offspring reared on their mother’s milk until weaning nine months later. The dams are generally Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Charolais or Simmental cross cows, generally sourced as crosses from the dairy herd. The cows are mated to terminal sires such as Charolais, Limousin or Belgian Blue. Full details of the exact make-up of the national herd are available on the AIM database maintained by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com).

Beef calves from a dairy herd.

Calves of a beef breed from the dairy herd are an important source of raw materials for the Irish beef industry. Dairy herds breed their best animals to dairy breeds in order to provide replacements, but around 30% of the national dairy herd is mated to a beef sire in order to increase the value of the offspring. Angus and Hereford, which are noted for their ease of calving, are the most popular beef breeds for use in the dairy herd.

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Beef calves from a dairy herd.
Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Beef calves from a dairy herd.

Calves of a beef breed from the dairy herd are an important source of raw materials for the Irish beef industry. Dairy herds breed their best animals to dairy breeds in order to provide replacements, but around 30% of the national dairy herd is mated to a beef sire in order to increase the value of the offspring. Angus and Hereford, which are noted for their ease of calving, are the most popular beef breeds for use in the dairy herd.

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Tagging

Every calf in Ireland must be tagged and registered within 20 days of birth. This unique 12 digit identification number must be maintained throughout the life of the animal and all changes in status or ownership must be notified to the central Animal database maintained by the Department of Agriculture. The system generates 100% traceability which is important for public and animal health protection. The Animal Identification and Movement System (AIM) database produces detailed statistics on the Irish cattle herd each year (www.agriculture.gov.ie).

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Tagging
Copyright Irish Farmers Journal

Tagging

Every calf in Ireland must be tagged and registered within 20 days of birth. This unique 12 digit identification number must be maintained throughout the life of the animal and all changes in status or ownership must be notified to the central Animal database maintained by the Department of Agriculture. The system generates 100% traceability which is important for public and animal health protection. The Animal Identification and Movement System (AIM) database produces detailed statistics on the Irish cattle herd each year (www.agriculture.gov.ie).

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Beef research and advisory services are run nationally by Teagasc (www.teagasc.ie), while Bord Bia (www.bordbia.ie) promotes Irish beef on export markets. The latter also run the Beef Quality Assurance Scheme, an audited process that ensures all beef sold carrying the Quality Assured Irish Beef logo meets defined standards.

According to Bord Bia, Ireland produced 624,000 tonnes of beef in 2019 (Bord Bia, 2020). Due to our relatively small population, only about 10% of this was consumed on the domestic market, leading to beef exports worth approximately €2.1 billion (Bord Bia, 2020). Ireland is one of the largest beef exporters in the world along with Australia, Brazil, Netherlands and USA).

Cattle breeding

Thousands of farmers in Ireland are engaged in pedigree breeding of cattle, with their purebred stock registered in the herdbook of their chosen breed. The numerically largest pedigree breed is the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (ww.ihfa.ie) with over 3,000 breeders (pictured). Eighteen beef breed societies are participants in the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com). The following are the main beef breeds, as well as their country of origin and year of first importation: Angus (Great Britain, 1843); Aubrac (France, 1992); Blonde d’Aquitaine (France, 1974); Belgian Blue (Belgium, 1980); Charolais (France, 1964); Hereford (Great Britain, 1775); Limousin (France, 1972); Piemontese (Italy, 1982); Parthenaise (France, 1997); Saler (France, 1997); Shorthorn (Great Britain, 1882) and Simmental (Austria, 1971).

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Cattle breeding
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Cattle breeding

Thousands of farmers in Ireland are engaged in pedigree breeding of cattle, with their purebred stock registered in the herdbook of their chosen breed. The numerically largest pedigree breed is the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (ww.ihfa.ie) with over 3,000 breeders (pictured). Eighteen beef breed societies are participants in the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com). The following are the main beef breeds, as well as their country of origin and year of first importation: Angus (Great Britain, 1843); Aubrac (France, 1992); Blonde d’Aquitaine (France, 1974); Belgian Blue (Belgium, 1980); Charolais (France, 1964); Hereford (Great Britain, 1775); Limousin (France, 1972); Piemontese (Italy, 1982); Parthenaise (France, 1997); Saler (France, 1997); Shorthorn (Great Britain, 1882) and Simmental (Austria, 1971).

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Prize bulls at a show

Beef cattle breeding in Ireland is being advanced by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com). The organisation, based in Bandon in Co Cork, was established in 1997 and has as its mission “to achieve the greatest possible genetic gain in the national cattle herd for the benefit of Irish farmers and the industry”.

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Prize bulls at a show
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Prize bulls at a show

Beef cattle breeding in Ireland is being advanced by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (www.icbf.com). The organisation, based in Bandon in Co Cork, was established in 1997 and has as its mission “to achieve the greatest possible genetic gain in the national cattle herd for the benefit of Irish farmers and the industry”.

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Meat factory

Over 1.4million bovine animals were slaughtered at approved export meat plants in 2010. This consisted of 664,000 steers, 444,000 heifers and 337,000 cows. The product is sold in a range of formats to Irish and international customers. Irish beef processors now have a substantial presence in the retail markets of the UK and Continental Europe (www.bordbia.ie).

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Meat factory
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Meat factory

Over 1.4million bovine animals were slaughtered at approved export meat plants in 2010. This consisted of 664,000 steers, 444,000 heifers and 337,000 cows. The product is sold in a range of formats to Irish and international customers. Irish beef processors now have a substantial presence in the retail markets of the UK and Continental Europe (www.bordbia.ie).

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Cattle mart

Livestock marts are located throughout Ireland and are used as trading centres where regular - mostly weekly – live auctions of livestock take place. The majority of marts are owned by farmer co-operatives (www.icos.ie), while some are privately run businesses. In 2010, a total of 1.68million livestock sales through marts were recorded, with the peak month, October, accounting for 249,000. Animals are sold by public auction, with the video showing a typical sale day at Kilkenny mart in autumn 2011.

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Cattle mart
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Cattle mart

Livestock marts are located throughout Ireland and are used as trading centres where regular - mostly weekly – live auctions of livestock take place. The majority of marts are owned by farmer co-operatives (www.icos.ie), while some are privately run businesses. In 2010, a total of 1.68million livestock sales through marts were recorded, with the peak month, October, accounting for 249,000. Animals are sold by public auction, with the video showing a typical sale day at Kilkenny mart in autumn 2011.

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Exports

Beef cattle for the export market are slaughtered at one of around 30 approved export meat plants. Three privately controlled firms hold a dominant share of the sector; ABP in County Louth, Dawn in County Waterford and Kepak in County Meath.

As well as exports of carcase beef in chilled form, Ireland also exports beef in the form of live cattle. In 2019, 300,000 cattle were exported live from Ireland. Most of these were young animals sent to the EU, where they are then killed for consumption. There is also a sizeable volume of dairy calf exports from Ireland to veal units in the Netherlands.

For a long period of our history, Ireland exported live cattle and little else to Britain. The trade is said to have commenced around 1600. A notable collapse in the trade occurred after the formation of the Irish Free State. When the Irish Government withheld land annuities, the British Government placed import duties on Irish imports, including cattle. The resulting “Economic War” led to a collapse in the value of Irish cattle exports.

In recent decades there has seen a significant change in the market outlets for Irish beef. Ireland now exports beef to to around 70 countries. In value terms over 93% of beef products was exported to countries within the EU and 7% exported to Third Country markets (Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, 2019).