Between January and April 2026, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 14.8% when compared with the same period in 2025 and were down by 14.5% when comparing April 2026 with April 2025.
The number of Sheep slaughtered declined by 4.9% between January and April 2026 and decreased by 15.6% in April 2026 when compared with the same month in 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first four months of 2026 grew by 4.8% when compared with the same four-month period in 2025 and rose by 3.5% in April 2026 when compared with April 2025.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - April 2026 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| April 2025 | 159.4 | 206.6 | 287.7 |
| April 2026 | 136.2 | 174.5 | 297.9 |
| % change | |||
| April 2026/2025 | -14.5% | -15.6% | 3.5% |
| Jan-Apr 2026/2025 | -14.8% | -4.9% | 4.8% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year to April 2026 are estimated to be 547,000 heads, a decrease of 95,000 heads (-14.8%) when compared with the same period in 2025.
During this period in 2026, Sheep slaughterings fell by 38,000 heads (-4.9%) to 746,000 heads when compared with the same four months in 2025.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 1.2m heads between January and April 2026, up 54,000 heads (+4.8%) on the same period in 2025.
| X-axis label | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 638.288 | 642.005 | 546.74 |
| Sheep | 949.834 | 783.9532 | 745.53105 |
| Pigs | 1109.148 | 1118.8818 | 1172.5886 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in April 2026 fell by 23,000 heads (-14.5%) to 136,000 heads when compared with April 2025.
Sheep slaughterings in April 2026 were 174,000 heads, a decrease of 32,000 heads (-15.6%) when compared with the same month in 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in April 2026 rose by 10,000 heads (+3.5%) to 298,000 heads when compared with April 2025.
| X-axis label | Cattle | Sheep | Pigs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 164.718 | 187.743 | 293.286 |
| Feb 2025 | 159.505 | 187.206 | 265.975 |
| Mar 2025 | 158.369 | 202.3806 | 271.9064 |
| Apr 2025 | 159.413 | 206.6236 | 287.7144 |
| May 2025 | 134.921 | 184.0808 | 282.2092 |
| Jun 2025 | 129.255 | 199.3732 | 268.4568 |
| Jul 2025 | 118.914 | 204.4238 | 301.0222 |
| Aug 2025 | 115.402 | 192.172 | 268.896 |
| Sep 2025 | 136.301 | 204.5782 | 290.0962 |
| Oct 2025 | 135.843 | 209.2938 | 301.7538 |
| Nov 2025 | 135.079 | 180.409 | 284.716 |
| Dec 2025 | 128.996 | 203.61975 | 286.586 |
| Jan 2026 | 134.703 | 184.16725 | 301.034 |
| Feb 2026 | 128.347 | 179.843 | 272.111 |
| Mar 2026 | 147.45 | 207.0484 | 301.5658 |
| Apr 2026 | 136.24 | 174.4724 | 297.8778 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (27 May 2026) published Livestock Slaughterings April 2026.
Commenting on the release, Cathal Byrne, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 14.5% to 136,000 heads in April 2026 when compared with April 2025. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 15.6% to 174,000 heads and Pig slaughterings went up 3.5% to 298,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and April 2026, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 14.8% to 547,000 heads when compared with the same period in 2025. The number of Sheep slaughterings fell by 4.9% to 746,000 heads while Pig slaughterings went up by 4.8% to 1.2m heads over the same four-month period."