Aberdeen-Angus cross is the UK's most popular cattle variety measured by calf registrations on the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) having jumped Limousin cross to first place.

The latest calf registration figures for the first half of 2022 show that for beef farmers there was a general continuation of the trend of increased native and fewer continental registrations. Registrations of Aberdeen-Angus cross rose 7% year-on-year, with British Blue cross registrations increasing by 3%, and Beef Shorthorn cross up 9%.

Meanwhile, continental-sired calves like Limousin cross, Charolais cross and Simmental cross all declined by 4% each. This left Aberdeen-Angus cross as the most popular mix on BCMS passports, with 253,000 animals, whilst second place Limousin cross had 240,000.

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The total number of calves registered on BCMS fell by 0.8% or 12,600 animals compared to 2021. In the first half of the year there were 1.56 million head, with beef-bred animals (suckler-bred and dairy X beef calves) up 1% at 1.2 million 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.