time, along with the 2018 high, that over 700,000 tonnes had been produced in the timeframe; this was an increase of 6,200 tonnes or 0.9 per cent from a year earlier. The total under review was also a more marked 48,100 tonnes or 7.1 per cent above the 10 year average for the period. Total feed production during the first quarter of 2021 was made up


of: 54.6 per cent cattle and calf feed, 28.6 per cent poultry feed, 9.5 per cent pig feed, 4.6 per cent sheep feed 2.8 per cent other feed. At 384,100 tonnes, first quarter total cattle and calf feed output,


like Northern Irish feed production as a whole, was at its second highest level since records began, with output just below that of 2018. 2021’s production surpassed its year earlier counterpart by 20,800 tonnes or 5.7 per cent and additionally, was 28,300 tonnes or 7.7 per cent greater than the decade long Q1 average. Whilst the sector itself comfortably bettered the output of a year


earlier, the same pattern was not displayed throughout its constituent categories. All other cattle compounds fell by 100 tonnes or 5.0 per cent to 1,900 tonnes of production for the quarter, whereas both other calf compounds and calf milk substitutes remained at the same output as they had in the first quarter of 2020, at 23,900 tonnes and 100 tonnes respectively. In contrast, dairy cow compounds outpaced year previous production by 7,000 tonnes or 4.2 per cent and rose to a Q1 high of 159,400 tonnes. Moreover, output of beef coarse mixes and blends climbed sharply by 8,400 tonnes or 12.0 per cent to 78,700 tonnes, as did cattle protein concentrate production which more than doubled from a year previous to 500 tonnes, a growth of 300 tonnes or 150.0 per cent. There were further gains recorded in both the dairy coarse mixes and blends and beef cattle compound subsectors, with the former rising 3,500 tonnes or 5.2 per cent above year earlier returns to 71,300 tonnes and the latter rising by 1,800 tonnes or 3.8 per cent to 48,300 tonnes. Total pig feed production for the first quarter of 2021 was at the


same levels as it was in the corresponding period of a year earlier. The 66,500 tonnes of output was the joint highest ever for the period and as a result, was a significant 13,500 tonnes or 22.6 per cent above the 10 year average for the quarter. Pig finishing feed had risen to its highest ever Q1 output of 27,900


tonnes, an increase of 500 tonnes or 1.8 per cent from a year previous; in addition, first quarter pig growing feed output grew by 1,200 tonnes or 10.3 per cent to 12,900 tonnes, the highest production had been in the timeframe since 1999. At 9,100 tonnes of output, pig breeding feed had also surpassed its respective 2020 total, doing so by 300 tonnes or 3.4 per cent. On the other hand, pig starter and creep feed output


had fallen by a considerable 1,100 tonnes or 12.8 per cent to 7,500 tonnes and pig link and early grower feed production, at 9,200 tonnes, had dropped by 600 tonnes or 6.1 per cent. For the second year in succession, first quarter poultry feed


production had fallen below year previous levels. 2021’s total, of 201,200 tonnes, was a considerable 12,000 tonnes or 5.6 per cent down on its year earlier counterpart; however, despite being the lowest output of the last four years, the current total was 8,700 tonnes or 4.4 per cent higher than the decade long average for the period. Asides from chick rearing feed, which matched the year previous


Q1 output of 6,500 tonnes, all other elements of Northern Irish poultry feed production declined from year previous levels. The largest category, broiler feed, dropped 5,000 tonnes or 4.2 per cent to 114,000 tonnes of output; layer and breeder feed fell 5,400 tonnes or 7.0 per cent from a year previously to 71,600; and turkey and other poultry feed decreased from 2020’s first quarter returns by 1,700 tonnes or 15.7 per cent to 9,100 tonnes. First quarter total sheep feed production rose a considerable


4,000 tonnes or 14.2 per cent from the same period a year earlier to an output of 32,200 tonnes. This production rate was a less significant 1,400 tonnes or 4.4 per cent above the 10 year average for the quarter, which indicates that the output of the first three months of 2020 was relatively low. There was an incredible rise in the amount of sheep protein


concentrates produce in Q1 of 2021; output jumped from just 18 tonnes a year earlier to 1,700 tonnes, an increase of 9,533.3 per cent and a record high for the subsector. Breeding sheep compounds also exceeded its year previous counterpart in striking fashion; the 18,200 tonnes of output from the first quarter of 2021 was 6,200 tonnes or 51.7 per cent higher than the record low from 2020. However, coarse mixes and blends for sheep declined to their lowest level for the period since 2001; the 5,000 tonnes of output was 600 tonnes or 10.7 per cent down on a year earlier. Finally, growing and finishing compounds for sheep production for the quarter dropped by just under a third from 2020’s historically high return as output fell by 3,300 tonnes or 31.4 per cent to 7,200 tonnes. The second sector to fall below year earlier levels was total other


feed. With output at its lowest level for the time frame since 2002, production had declined by a sizeable 6,600 tonnes or 25.2 per cent from the corresponding period of 2020 to 19,600 tonnes. Additionally, other feed was the only feed sector that fell below its decade long average for the first quarter, which the total under review was 3,800 tonnes or 17.7 per cent below. After the marked drop off in first quarter Northern Irish feed


production witnessed in the previous two years, it is encouraging to see output return to closer to the record levels of 2018. Cattle feed production continues to climb back towards its all-time high after recent declines whilst pig feed outputs maintain the record levels of a year previous. Total sheep feed production also seems to have returned in line with expected outputs following the sharp reduction in production in both the first quarters of 2019 and 2020. The one sector where the picture isn’t so encouraging is poultry feed production where output continues to fall below the levels for a year previous. However, with March production in the sector comfortably surpassing its year earlier counterpart, that picture could be about to change.


PAGE 8 JULY/AUGUST 2021 FEED COMPOUNDER


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