In response to the Deputy’s question I would like to draw his attention to the data profiling of the national herd which is publically available on my Department’s website in the form of detailed annual reports. These reports are available from 2002 onwards and can be accessed at: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animalhealthwelfare/animalidentificationmovement/cattle/.
These annual reports detail the national herd by age profile and breed type (Chapter 4) and the national herd birth registration data (Chapter 1).
The number of calves born to beef breed dams as extracted from my Department's Animal Identification and Movement database (AIM) for the period 01 January 2015 to 30 June 2015 was 763,587. Additionally, the figures for the corresponding period in 2016 was 749,181.