There was an annual increase of 1.9% in the number of Cattle slaughtered in 2024, while Sheep slaughterings decreased by 10.1% in 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered grew by 1.1% in 2024.
An analysis of the data for December 2024 compared with December 2023 shows that cattle slaughterings rose by 4.3%.
The number of Sheep slaughtered in December 2024 dropped by 19.6% when compared with December 2023.
Pig slaughterings increased by 2.4% in December 2024 when compared with December 2023.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - December 2024 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| Dec 2023 | 142.9 | 256.3 | 255.7 |
| Dec 2024 | 149.0 | 206.0 | 261.8 |
| % change | |||
| Dec 2024/2023 | 4.3% | -19.6% | 2.4% |
| Jan-Dec 2024/2023 | 1.9% | -10.1% | 1.1% |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in 2024 is estimated to be 1.9m heads, an increase of 36,000 heads (+1.9%).
Sheep slaughterings contracted by 321,000 heads (-10.1%) in 2024 to more than 2.8m heads.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 3.3m heads in 2024, a rise of 36,000 heads (+1.1%) on the previous year.
| X-axis label | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 1911.638 | 1870.49 | 1906.663 |
| Sheep | 3197.0764 | 3168.557 | 2847.28 |
| Pigs | 3635.534 | 3311.905 | 3347.667 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in December 2024 rose by 6,000 heads (+4.3%) to 149,000 heads when compared with December 2023.
Sheep slaughterings in December 2024 were 206,000 heads, down by 50,000 heads (-19.6%) when compared with the same month in 2023.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in December 2024 rose by 6,000 heads (+2.4%) to 262,000 heads when compared with December 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 | 174.86 | 277.641 | 271.642 |
| Nov 2023 | 181.631 | 293.386 | 307.246 |
| Dec 2023 | 142.859 | 256.257 | 255.717 |
| 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 | 187.494 | 257.242 | 294.168 |
| Nov 2024 | 174.443 | 188.789 | 296.089 |
| Dec 2024 | 149.013 | 206.045 | 261.81 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 January 2025) published Livestock Slaughterings December 2024.
Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section, said: "Cattle slaughterings increased by 4.3% to 149,000 heads in December 2024 when compared with December 2023. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 19.6% to 206,000 heads and Pig slaughterings rose by 2.4% to 262,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that for the year 2024, Cattle slaughterings went up by 1.9% to approximately 1.9m heads while the number of Sheep slaughtered contracted by 10.1% to more than 2.8m heads. Pig slaughterings grew by 1.1% to approximately 3.3m heads over the same 12-month period."