Between January and October 2025, Sheep slaughterings decreased by 19.6.% when compared with the same period in 2024 and were down by 19.7% when comparing October 2025 with October 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first 10 months of 2025 grew by 2.5% when compared with the same period in 2024 and increased by 3.1% in October 2025 when compared with October 2024.
The number of Cattle slaughtered declined by 10.9% in the first 10 months of 2025, and fell by 27.9% in October 2025 when compared with the same month in 2024.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - October 2025 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| October 2024 | 187.6 | 257.8 | 294.2 |
| October 2025 | 135.3 | 207.1 | 303.3 |
| % change | |||
| October 2025/2024 | -27.9% | -19.7% | 3.1% |
| Jan-Oct 2025/2024 | -10.9% | -19.6% | 2.5% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year to October 2025 are estimated to be 1.4m heads, a decrease of 172,000 heads (-10.9%) when compared with the same period in 2024.
During this period in 2025, Sheep slaughterings fell by 480,000 heads (-19.6%) to 2.0m heads when compared with the same 10 months in 2024.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 2.9m heads between January and October 2025, up 69,000 heads (+2.5%) on the same period in 2024.
| X-axis label | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 1546 | 1583.322 | 1411.5 |
| Sheep | 2618.914 | 2453.037 | 1973.021 |
| Pigs | 2748.942 | 2789.767 | 2858.819 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in October 2025 decreased by 52,000 heads (-27.9%) to 135,000 heads when compared with October 2024.
Sheep slaughterings in October 2025 were 207,000 heads, a reduction of 51,000 heads (-19.7%) when compared with the same month in 2024.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in October 2025 grew by 9,000 heads (+3.1%) to 303,000 heads when compared with October 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 | 118.692 | 198.046 | 303.715 |
| Aug 2025 | 115.398 | 192.827 | 271.046 |
| Sep 2025 | 135.466 | 202.369 | 291.718 |
| Oct 2025 | 135.266 | 207.101 | 303.32 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (28 November 2025) published Livestock Slaughterings October 2025.
Commenting on the release, Mairead Griffin, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 27.9% to 135,000 heads in October 2025 when compared with October 2024. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered fell by 19.7% to 207,000 heads, while Pig slaughterings were up by 3.1% to 303,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and October 2025, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 10.9% to 1.4m heads when compared with the same period in 2024. The number of Sheep slaughterings decreased by 19.6% to 2.0m heads while Pig slaughterings increased by 2.5% to 2.9m heads over the same 10-month period."