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Livestock Slaughterings November 2024

The number of Sheep slaughtered during the period January to November 2024 fell by 9.2% when compared with the same period in 2023

Online ISSN: 2009-5651
CSO statistical publication, , 11am

Key Findings

  • Between January and November 2024, Cattle slaughterings increased by 1.7% when compared with the same period in 2023.

  • In the first 11 months of the year, Sheep slaughterings decreased by 9.2% on the same period in 2023.

  • The number of Pigs slaughtered from January to November 2024 went up by 1.0% when compared with the same 11 months in 2023.

  • An analysis of the data for November 2024 compared with November 2023 shows that cattle slaughterings fell by 4.2%.

  • The number of Sheep slaughtered in November 2024 dropped by 34.9% when compared with the same month in 2023.

  • Pig slaughterings decreased by 3.6% in November 2024 compared with November 2023. 

Statistician's Comment

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (20 December 2024) published Livestock Slaughterings November 2024.

Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section, said: "Cattle slaughterings fell by 4.2% to 174,000 heads in November 2024 when compared with November 2023. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered dropped by 34.9% to 191,000 heads and Pig slaughterings decreased  by 3.6% to 296,000 heads.

Further analysis of the data shows that between January and November 2024, Cattle slaughterings increased by 1.7% to approximately 1.8m heads while the number of Sheep slaughtered contracted by 9.2% to over 2.6m heads. Pig slaughterings grew by 1.0% to approximately 3.1m heads over the same 11-month period." 

Main Results

Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - November 2024
 CattleSheepPigs
'000 heads
Nov 2023181.6293.4307.2
Nov 2024174.1191.0296.0
% change
Nov 2024/2023-4.2%-34.9%-3.6%
Jan-Nov 2024/20231.7%-9.2%1.0%

Year-to-Date Findings: January 2024 to November 2024

Cattle slaughterings in the 11 months to November 2024 are estimated to be approximately 1.8m heads, an increase of more than 29,000 heads (+1.7%) when compared with the same period in 2023.

During the same period in 2024, Sheep slaughterings contracted by more than 268,000 heads (-9.2%) to approximately 2.6m heads when compared with the same 11 months in 2023.

Pig slaughterings are estimated to be approximately 3.1m heads for January to November 2024, a rise of more than 29,000 heads (+1.0%) on the same period in 2023.

X-axis label202220232024
Cattle1770.4021727.6311757.056
Sheep2925.81542912.32643.873
Pigs3354.5493056.1883085.498

Monthly Findings: November 2024

The number of Cattle slaughtered in November 2024 fell by approximately 8,000 heads (-4.2%) to 174,000 heads when compared with November 2023.

Sheep slaughterings in November 2024 were approximately 191,000 heads, down by 102,000 heads (-34.9%) when compared with the same month in 2023.

The number of Pigs slaughtered in November 2024 dropped by more than 11,000 heads (-3.6%) to 296,000 heads when compared with November 2023. 

X-axis labelCattleSheepPigs
Jan 2023153.475252.711296.318
Feb 2023156.219222.126255.189
Mar 2023165.328286.653298.182
Apr 2023134.284249.349250.594
May 2023153.832250.324288.265
Jun 2023148.922275.714274.184
Jul 2023144.298248.769261.821
Aug 2023162.138281.767287.852
Sep 2023152.644273.86264.895
Oct 2023174.86277.641271.642
Nov 2023181.631293.386307.246
Dec 2023142.859256.257255.717
Jan 2024166.064259.978298.046
Feb 2024164.074217.306264.223
Mar 2024153.142272.044273.695
Apr 2024155.008200.506273.184
May 2024150.915214.655287.18
Jun 2024127.637221.513245.527
JuL 2024157.65256.412297.316
Aug 2024151.032275.795282.8
Sep 2024170.105277.138273.317
Oct 2024187.339257.569294.173
Nov 2024174.09190.957296.037
Table 1.2: Livestock Slaughterings November 2024

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