Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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236. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of cattle slaughtered in the period from January to May 2012 compared to that in the period of January to May in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26349/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The numbers of cattle slaughtered in plants supervised by my Department in the months concerned are set out in the following table:

The numbers slaughtered are primarily a function of commercial considerations and I understand that cattle prices in 2013 are higher than in 2012. I am advised that other factors which may be contributing to the increased numbers being slaughtered include the fact that cattle disposals through live exports have been on a downward trend since 2010; that cattle slaughterings in 2012 were considerably lower than previous years; and fodder shortage issues in the period concerned.