Over 26% of the cattle slaughtered in EU approved slaughter plants in the first four months of 2025 originated in controlled finishing units (CFU).

The latest figures published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine show this source of cattle running at 167,000 head, an increase of 15,500 head or over 10% higher compared to the corresponding period in 2024.

Growth in throughput from such finishing units has followed a sharp upward curve over the last four years as detailed in Figure 1.

Throughput in 2024 was over 70,000 head higher than the five-year average with over 150,000 more cattle drafted from these units than was the case five years ago.

The Irish Farmers Journal understands that there could be in the region of 450 herds operating under this categorisation.

TB control

Reports indicate the recent growth in finishing units has been underpinned by producers looking to change their status in terms of TB control.

Such units must test twice per year for grazing cattle but the main benefit from a TB perspective is they can generally purchase animals without restriction and can purchase animals from herds with restricted movement due to TB.

As the name suggests, the herds are controlled with animals only permitted to leave the farm for direct slaughter.

Farm must operate a finishing system and cannot deliberately engage in the breeding of animals.

These units must pose a low risk to surrounding herds in the eyes of the Department to receive such status.

There are strict criteria farmers must abide by including, for example, double fencing of boundaries or the presence of a walled fence that prevents any contact with cattle on contagious holdings.

Herds are not exempt from removing reactor animals but will not receive any compensation under the TB compensation programme.