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Between January and August 2025, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 6.9% when compared with the same period in 2024 and were down by 23.8% when comparing August 2025 with August 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first eight months of 2025 grew by 1.9% when compared with the same eight months in 2024 but fell by 4.3% in August 2025 when compared with August 2024.
The number of Sheep slaughtered declined by 18.7% in the first eight months of 2025, and contracted by 32.0% in August 2025 when compared with the same month in 2024.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - August 2025 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| August 2024 | 151.0 | 275.5 | 283.1 |
| August 2025 | 115.2 | 187.3 | 271.0 |
| % change | |||
| August 2025/2024 | -23.8% | -32.0% | -4.3% |
| Jan-Aug 2025/2024 | -6.9% | -18.7% | 1.9% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year to August 2025 are estimated to be 1.1m heads, a decrease of 85,000 heads (-6.9%) when compared with the same period in 2024.
During this period in 2025, Sheep slaughterings fell by 358,000 heads (-18.7%) to 1.6m heads when compared with the same eight months in 2024.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 2.3m heads between January and August 2025, up 41,000 heads (+1.9%) on the same period in 2024.
| X-axis label | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 1218.496 | 1225.558 | 1140.543 |
| Sheep | 2067.413 | 1918.051 | 1559.972 |
| Pigs | 2212.405 | 2222.28 | 2263.666 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in August 2025 decreased by 36,000 heads (-23.8%) to 115,000 heads when compared with August 2024.
Sheep slaughterings in August 2025 were 187,000 heads, a reduction of 88,000 heads (-32.0%) when compared with the same month in 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in August 2025 fell by 12,000 heads (-4.3%) to 271,000 heads when compared with August 2024.
| X-axis label | Cattle | Sheep | Pigs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2024 | 166.064 | 259.978 | 298.046 |
| Feb 2024 | 164.074 | 217.306 | 264.223 |
| Mar 2024 | 153.142 | 272.044 | 273.695 |
| Apr 2024 | 155.008 | 200.506 | 273.184 |
| May 2024 | 150.915 | 214.655 | 287.18 |
| Jun 2024 | 127.644 | 221.549 | 245.527 |
| Jul 2024 | 157.667 | 256.52 | 297.317 |
| Aug 2024 | 151.044 | 275.493 | 283.108 |
| Sep 2024 | 170.155 | 277.153 | 273.32 |
| Oct 2024 | 187.609 | 257.833 | 294.167 |
| Nov 2024 | 174.488 | 188.422 | 296.104 |
| Dec 2024 | 147.678 | 207.22 | 262.132 |
| Jan 2025 | 164.779 | 189.217 | 298.219 |
| Feb 2025 | 159.561 | 189.112 | 269.565 |
| Mar 2025 | 158.402 | 202.779 | 274.643 |
| Apr 2025 | 159.439 | 205.981 | 291.214 |
| May 2025 | 135.088 | 185.913 | 284.817 |
| June 2025 | 129.409 | 199.676 | 270.562 |
| Jul 2025 | 118.695 | 200.003 | 303.681 |
| Aug 2025 | 115.17 | 187.291 | 270.965 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (26 September 2025) published Livestock Slaughterings August 2025.
Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 23.8% to 115,000 heads in August 2025 when compared with August 2024. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 32.0% to 187,000 heads, while Pig slaughterings were down by 4.3% to approximately 271,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and August 2025, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 6.9% to 1.1m heads when compared with the same period in 2024. The number of Sheep slaughterings decreased by 18.7% to 1.6m heads and Pig slaughterings increased by 1.9% to 2.3m heads over the same eight-month period."