CSO - Central Statistics Office Ireland

03/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/28/2024 05:53

Livestock Slaughterings February 2024

  • Between January and February 2024, Cattle slaughterings rose by 6.8% when compared with the same period in 2023.

  • In the first two months of the year, Sheep slaughterings grew by 1.5% on the same period in 2023.

  • The number of Pigs slaughtered in the year to February 2024 was up by 2.1% when compared with the same two months in 2023.

  • An analysis of the data for February 2024 compared with February 2023 shows that Cattle slaughterings increased by 5.5%.

  • The number of Sheep slaughtered dropped by 0.1% in February 2024 when compared with the same month in 2023.

  • Pig slaughterings rose by 4.0% in February 2024 when compared with February 2023.

Cattle slaughterings in the year to February 2024 are estimated to be almost 331,000 heads, an increase of more than 21,000 heads (+6.8%) when compared with the same period in 2023.

During the same period, Sheep slaughterings rose by approximately 7,000 heads (+1.5%) to just under 482,000 heads when compared with the same two months in 2023.

Pig slaughterings are estimated to be just over 563,000 heads for January and February 2024, up nearly 12,000 heads (+2.1%) on the same period in 2023.

X-axis label 2022 2023 2024
Cattle 303.145 309.694 330.833
Sheep 461.352 474.837 481.826
Pigs 599.86 551.507 563.314

The number of Cattle slaughtered in February 2024 increased by almost 9,000 heads (+5.5%) to 165,000 heads when compared with February 2023.

Sheep slaughterings in February 2024 were approximately 222,000 heads, similar to the same month in 2023.

The number of Pigs slaughtered in February 2024 increased by over 10,000 heads (+4.0%) to more than 265,000 heads when compared with February 2023.

X-axis label Cattle Sheep Pigs
Jan 2023 153.475 252.711 296.318
Feb 2023 156.219 222.126 255.189
Mar 2023 165.328 286.653 298.182
Apr 2023 134.284 249.349 250.594
May 2023 153.832 250.324 288.265
Jun 2023 148.922 275.714 274.184
Jul 2023 144.298 248.769 261.821
Aug 2023 162.138 281.767 287.852
Sep 2023 152.644 273.86 264.895
Oct 2023 174.866 277.657 271.633
Nov 2023 181.724 291.799 306.349
Dec 2023 143.074 256.307 255.884
Jan 2024 165.996 259.871 298.021
Feb 2024 164.837 221.955 265.293

Table 1.2: Livestock Slaughterings February 2024