Table 3 Recorded number of calves entering (by year, type and dam age) and cows exiting (by year, type and method of exit) the national Irish cattle herd, during 2003 to 2006

   1a. All dams

Dairy

1,064,861

1,066,342

1,049,014

1,038,520

Beef

1,079,819

1,104,834

1,101,051

1,092,742

Total

2,144,680

2,171,176

2,150,065

2,131,262

   1b. Heifer dams only

Dairy

220,114

223,974

235,477

235,395

(Average dam calving age [months])

[29.3]

[28.8]

[28.6]

[28.8]

Beef

187,167

190,517

187,504

190,528

(Average dam calving age [months])

[31.3]

[31.2]

[31]

[31]

Total

407,281

414,491

422,981

425,923

(Average dam calving age [months])

[30.2]

[29.9]

[29.7]

[29.8]

2. Recorded cow exits

2a. Slaughter

Dairy

170,216

189,150

189,020

192,653

(%)

(16.0%)

(17.7%)

(18.0%)

(18.6%)

Beef

158,946

154,922

157,281

170,522

(%)

(14.7%)

(14.0%)

(14.3%)

(15.6%)

Total

329,162

344,072

346,301

363,175

(%)

(15.3%)

(15.8%)

(16.1%)

(17.0%)

2b. On-farm deaths

Dairy

34,949

36,676

40,092

45,548

(%)

(3.3%)

(3.4%)

(3.8%)

(4.4%)

Beef

34,342

33,684

36,234

40,973

(%)

(3.2%)

(3.0%)

(3.3%)

(3.7%)

Total

69,291

70,360

76,326

86,521

(On-farm mortality rate, %)

(3.2%)

(3.2%)

(3.5%)

(4.1%)

2c. Slaughter and on-farm deaths

Dairy

205,165

225,826

229,112

238,201

(Cow culling rate, %)

(19.3%)

(21.2%)

(21.8%)

(22.9%)

[Difference between cow exits and heifer entries]

14,949

-1,852

6,365

-2,806

Beef

193,288

188,606

193,515

211,495

(Cow culling rate, %)

(17.9%)

(17.1%)

(17.6%)

(19.4%)

[Difference between total cow exits and heifer entries]

-6,121

1,911

-6,011

-20,967

Total

398,453

414,432

422,627

449,696

(Cow culling rate, %)

(18.6%)

(19.1%)

(19.7%)

(21.1%)

[Difference between total cow exits and heifer entries]

8,828

59

354

-23,773