Between January and June 2026, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 10.8% when compared with the same period in 2025 and were down by 3.8% when comparing June 2026 with June 2025.
The number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 2.6% between January and June 2025 and January and June 2026 and decreased by 12.6% in June 2026 when compared with June 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first six months of 2026 grew by 4.0% when compared with the same six-month period in 2025 and increased by 5.8% in June 2026 when compared with June 2025.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - June 2026 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| June 2025 | 129.3 | 199.4 | 268.5 |
| June 2026 | 124.4 | 174.3 | 284.2 |
| % change | |||
| June 2026/2025 | -3.8% | -12.6% | 5.8% |
| Jan-Jun 2026/2025 | -10.8% | -2.6% | 4.0% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year to June 2026 are estimated to be 809,000 heads, a decrease of 98,000 heads (-10.8%) when compared with the same period in 2025.
During the first six months in 2026, Sheep slaughterings dropped by 30,000 heads (-2.6%) to 1.1m heads when compared with the same months in 2025.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 1.7m heads between January and June 2026, up 67,000 heads (+4.0%) on the same period in 2025.
| X-axis label | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 916.847 | 906.181 | 808.508 |
| Sheep | 1386.038 | 1167.4072 | 1137.19545 |
| Pigs | 1641.855 | 1669.5478 | 1736.7856 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in June 2026 fell by 5,000 heads (-3.8%) to 124,000 heads when compared with June 2025.
Sheep slaughterings in June 2026 were 174,000 heads, a decrease of 25,000 heads (-12.6%) when compared with the same month in 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in June 2026 rose by 16,000 heads (+5.8%) to 284,000 heads when compared with June 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 | 134.789 | 184.35325 | 300.994 |
| Feb 2026 | 130.177 | 180.516 | 272.217 |
| Mar 2026 | 147.911 | 216.0154 | 301.7858 |
| Apr 2026 | 136.927 | 190.5844 | 300.2048 |
| May 2026 | 134.345 | 191.4292 | 277.4294 |
| Jun 2026 | 124.359 | 174.2972 | 284.1546 |
Learn about our data and confidentiality safeguards, and the steps we take to produce statistics that can be trusted by all.
Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (27 July 2026) published Livestock Slaughterings June 2026.
Commenting on the release, Mattis Voss, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 3.8% to 124,000 heads in June 2026 when compared with June 2025. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered decreased by 12.6% to 174,000 heads while Pig slaughterings were up 5.8% to 284,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and June 2026, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 10.8% to 809,000 heads when compared with the same period in 2025. The number of Sheep slaughterings fell by 2.6% to 1.1m heads and Pig slaughterings went up by 4.0% to 1.7m heads over the same six-month period."