Ireland: 416,500 factory cattle came from feedlots in 2022

New figures on the composition of the 2022 factory beef kill show that 416,500 cattle that were processed at EU-approved slaughter plants in 2022, came from Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) or feedlots. The number of cattle coming from CFUs has been growing year-on-year and has increased by 153,500 cattle in the past five years. According to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), a total of 1.79 million cattle (excluding veal) were slaughtered at DAFM-approved factories in 2022. The news comes as the DAFM has recently published the final figures on the number of cattle slaughtered from CFUs in 2022. It is important to outline that while some of these CFUs are managed by beef-processing outlets, many in Ireland are farmer-owned. The table below shows the beef kill numbers at EU-approved slaughter plants originating in Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs): ...