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Livestock Slaughterings April 2023

The number of pigs slaughtered between January and April 2023 fell by 11.0%

Online ISSN: 2009-5651
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Key Findings

  • Between January and April 2023, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 4.3% when compared with the same period in 2022.

  • In the first four months of the year, Sheep slaughterings increased by 4.0% on the same period in 2022.

  • The number of Pigs slaughtered fell by 11.0% between January and April 2023 when compared with the same four months in 2022.

  • An analysis of the data for April 2023 compared with April 2022 shows that Cattle slaughterings contracted by 16.2%. 

  • The number of Sheep slaughtered declined by 5.1% in April 2023 compared with April 2022.

  • Pig slaughterings dropped by 19.7% in April 2023 compared with April 2022. 

Statistician's Comment

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (25 May 2023) released Livestock Slaughterings April 2023.

Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section, said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 16.2% in April 2023 when compared with April 2022. Over that same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 5.1% and Pig slaughterings contracted by 19.7%. Further analysis of the data shows that between January and April 2023, Sheep slaughterings increased by 4.0% while the number of Cattle and Pigs slaughtered declined by 4.3% and 11.0% respectively." 

Main Results

Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - April 2023
 CattleSheepPigs
'000 heads
April 2022161.2265.8312.1
April 2023135.0252.3250.6
 % change
April 2023/2022-16.2%-5.1%-19.7%
Jan-Apr 2023/2022-4.3%4.0%-11.0%

Year-to-Date findings: January 2023–April 2023

Cattle slaughterings in the year to date are estimated at 610,386 heads, a decrease of 27,370 heads (-4.3%) when compared with the same period in 2022.

Year to date slaughterings for Sheep are estimated at more than one million heads compared with 979,124 heads for the same period in 2022. This represents an increase of 39,039 heads (+4.0%).

Pig slaughterings are estimated at 1.1m heads between January and April 2023, a reduction of 136,502 heads (-11%) compared with 1.2m heads for the same period in 2022. 

X-axis label202120222023
Cattle572.479637.756610.386
Sheep837.357979.1241018.163
Pigs1218.6941236.6651100.163

Monthly findings: April 2023

The number of Cattle slaughtered in April 2023 fell by 26,191 heads (-16.2%) to 135,001 heads when compared with April 2022.

Sheep slaughterings in April 2023 are estimated at 252,294 heads, a decrease of 13,502 heads (-5.1%) compared with April 2022.

The number of Pigs slaughtered in April 2023 contracted by 61,516 heads (-19.7%) to 250,551 heads when compared with April 2022. 

X-axis labelCattleSheepPigs
Jan 2022143.874226.888295.894
Feb 2022159.271234.464303.966
Mar 2022173.419251.976324.738
Apr 2022161.192265.796312.067
May 2022154.76236.348320.496
Jun 2022144.602253.011301.663
Jul 2022147.959281.839290.378
Aug 2022166.549298.674300.339
Sep 2022171.022311.511301.219
Oct 2022167.767276.403280.884
Nov 2022179.987288.906322.905
Dec 2022141.236271.261280.985
Jan 2023153.437252.615296.277
Feb 2023156.433224.415255.176
Mar 2023165.515288.839298.159
Apr 2023135.001252.294250.551
Table 1.2: Livestock Slaughterings April 2023