The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Ireland has reported a significant decrease in the supply of finished cattle to beef factories, with a drop of over 6,000 head in the first 10 weeks of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. This decline is part of a larger expected reduction of 50-60,000 head for the year, following a record-breaking year in 2022. The most notable decrease has been in the number of young bulls processed. Concurrently, the number of calves slaughtered has seen a slight increase compared to the previous year. This change in supply is impacting beef production numbers, with figures showing a decline from the previous year.