Between January and September 2026, Cattle slaughterings decreased by 3.7% when compared with the same period in 2025 but were up by 9.3% when comparing September 2026 with September 2025.
The number of Sheep slaughtered in January to September 2026 fell by 1.2% when compared with the same nine-month period in 2025 and increased by 3.8% in September 2026 when compared with September 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in the first nine months of 2026 grew by 4.5% when compared with the same nine-month period in 2025 and increased by 8.8% in September 2026 when compared with September 2025.
| Table 1.1: Livestock Slaughterings - September 2026 | |||
| Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | |
| '000 heads | |||
| September 2025 | 136.3 | 204.6 | 290.1 |
| September 2026 | 148.9 | 212.4 | 315.6 |
| % change | |||
| September 2026/2025 | 9.3% | 3.8% | 8.8% |
| Jan-Sep 2026/2025 | -3.7% | -1.2% | 4.5% |
Cattle slaughterings in the year January to September 2026 are estimated to be 1.2m heads, a decrease of 47,000 heads (-3.7%) when compared with the same period in 2025.
During the first nine months of 2026, Sheep slaughterings dropped by 21,000 heads (-1.2%) to 1.7m heads when compared with the same months in 2025.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 2.6m heads between January and September 2026, up 115,000 heads (+4.5%) on the same period in 2025.
| X-axis label | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 1395.713 | 1276.798 | 1229.684 |
| Sheep | 2195.204 | 1768.5812 | 1747.72345 |
| Pigs | 2495.6 | 2529.5622 | 2644.1366 |
The number of Cattle slaughtered in September 2026 grew by 13,000 heads (+9.3%) to 149,000 heads when compared with September 2025.
Sheep slaughterings in September 2026 were 212,000 heads, an increase of 8,000 heads (+3.8%) when compared with September 2025.
The number of Pigs slaughtered in September 2026 rose by 26,000 heads (+8.8%) to 316,000 heads when compared with September 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 | 135.04 | 179.74025 | 301.055 |
| Feb 2026 | 130.38 | 176.352 | 272.288 |
| Mar 2026 | 148.186 | 209.4504 | 301.8408 |
| Apr 2026 | 137.206 | 184.5294 | 300.2778 |
| May 2026 | 134.679 | 187.1882 | 277.5174 |
| Jun 2026 | 125.651 | 174.4202 | 284.5746 |
| Jul 2026 | 129.913 | 207.8318 | 304.8884 |
| Aug 2026 | 139.717 | 215.813 | 286.0552 |
| Sep 2026 | 148.912 | 212.3982 | 315.6394 |
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (27 October 2026) published Livestock Slaughterings September 2026.
Commenting on the release, Mattis Voss, Statistician in the Agriculture Accounts & Production Section said: "Cattle slaughterings increased by 9.3% to 149,000 heads in September 2026 when compared with September 2025. During the same period, the number of Sheep slaughtered rose by 3.8% to 212,000 heads while Pig slaughterings were up 8.8% to 316,000 heads.
Further analysis of the data shows that between January and September 2026, Cattle slaughterings contracted by 3.7% to 1.2m heads when compared with the same period in 2025. The number of Sheep slaughterings fell by 1.2% to 1.7m heads while Pig slaughterings went up by 4.5% to 2.6m heads over the same nine-month period."