Between January and June 2025, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 1.1% when compared with the same period in 2024 and were up by 1.5% when comparing June 2025 with June 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first six months of 2025 grew by 2.9% when compared with the same six months in 2024 and rose by 10.2% in June 2025 when compared with June 2024.
The number of Sheep slaughtered declined by 15.4% in the first six months of 2025, and fell by 10.2% in June 2025 when compared with the same month in 2024.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - June 2025 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| June 2024 | 127.6 | 221.5 | 245.5 |
| June 2025 | 129.6 | 198.9 | 270.5 |
| % change | |||
| June 2025/2024 | 1.5% | -10.2% | 10.2% |
| Jan-Jun 2025/2024 | -1.1% | -15.4% | 2.9% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year to June 2025 are estimated to be 907,000 heads, a decrease of 10,000 heads (-1.1%) when compared with the same period in 2024.
During this period in 2025, Sheep slaughterings fell by 214,000 heads (-15.4%) to 1.2m heads when compared with the same six months in 2024.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 1.7m heads between January and June 2025, up 47,000 heads (+2.9%) on the same period in 2024.
| X-axis label | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 912.06 | 916.847 | 906.841 |
| Sheep | 1536.877 | 1386.038 | 1171.927 |
| Pigs | 1662.732 | 1641.855 | 1689.001 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in June 2025 increased by 2,000 heads (+1.5%) to 130,000 heads when compared with June 2024.
Sheep slaughterings in June 2025 were 199,000 heads, a reduction of 23,000 heads (-10.2%) when compared with the same month in 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in June 2025 rose by 25,000 heads (+10.2%) to approximately 271,000 heads when compared with June 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 | 159.432 | 206.004 | 291.214 |
| May 2025 | 135.108 | 185.9 | 284.817 |
| June 2025 | 129.559 | 198.915 | 270.543 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 July 2025) published Livestock Slaughterings June 2025.
Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings increased by 1.5% to 130,000 heads in June 2025 when compared with June 2024. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 10.2% to 199,000 heads, while Pig slaughterings were up by 10.2% to approximately 271,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and June 2025, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 1.1% to 907,000 heads while the number of Sheep slaughtered decreased by 15.4% to 1.2m heads. Pig slaughterings increased by 2.9% to 1.7m heads over the same six-month period."