Native breed calf registrations improved dramatically in the first six months of the year as costs of production soar and producers look to towards easier fleshing cattle able to be finished off grass.

Figures from the British Cattle Movement Service show Aberdeen-Angus cross registrations increased by 7% from 235,124 in the January to the end of June 2021, to 252,662 in the same period this year – a rise of 17,538 head.

Beef Shorthorn cross-bred calf registrations also improved, by a massive 9% albeit from a much lower base. This section saw registrations rise from 22,800 in the first six months of 2021 to 24,889.

Similarly Hereford cross and pure Hereford registrations were also up.

Notably most of the continental-bred calf notifications and pure Aberdeen Angus fell on the year. Limousin registrations fell the most and by almost 10,000 head, or 4%. Charolais and Simmental registrations also dropped by 4% on the same period, but again from a smaller base.

The only continental to gain market share was the British Blue which now ranks in third place behind Aberdeen Angus cross-breds and Limousin cross-breds in the BCMS breed rankings. The Blue breed saw registrations rise by more than 4500 head or 3% on the year,

Total GB calf registrations for the first half of 2022 reached 1.56m head – down 12,600 head or 0.8% on the same period in 2021, according to data from the British Cattle Movement Service.

Registrations of beef-bred animals (suckler-bred and dairy cross beef calves) were up 1% at 1.2m in total.

However, a 17% (19,100 head) fall in the number of dairy males registered meant that the overall number of calves destined for the beef supply chain (pure dairy males plus beef-bred animals, accounting for replacements) fell by 1% year-on-year.

The continued reduction in dairy male registrations reflects the increasing use of sexed dairy and beef semen among dairy producers. Registrations of dairy females also fell 1% year-on-year.