Comparing December 2024 with a year earlier:
The total number of Cattle decreased by 217,700 to 6,308,300 (-3.3%).
The number of Dairy Cows fell by 2.0% to 1,481,300 while the number of Other Cows dropped by 6.2% to 767,800.
The total number of Pigs rose by 66,100 (+4.7%) to 1,473,700.
Breeding Pigs were down by 4,500 to 122,200 (-3.6%).
Provisional Sheep numbers are estimated at 3,637,000, a decrease of 103,900 (-2.8%).
| X-axis label | Percentage Change |
|---|---|
| Total Cattle | -3.3 |
| Total Pigs | 4.7 |
| Total Sheep | -2.8 |
The total number of Cattle decreased by 217,700 (-3.3%) to 6,308,300 in December 2024 compared with December 2023. The number of Dairy Cows fell by 29,600 (-2.0%) while the number of Other Cows decreased by 50,700 (-6.2%) and the number of Bulls rose by 1,300 (+2.7%).
Excluding Cows and Bulls, there was a decrease in the number of Other Cattle. Male Cattle 1-2 years decreased by 54,000 (-6.9%) and Female Cattle 1-2 Years by 49,500 (-4.9%). The number of Heifers increased by 6.6%, as did Male Cattle aged 2 years and over marginally by 0.3%.
The total number of Pigs rose by 66,100 in the year to December 2024 to 1,473,700 (+4.7%).
Breeding Pigs were down from 126,800 to 122,200 (-3.6%). Other Sows for breeding showed the largest decrease, dropping by 5,800 (-19.2%).
Other Pigs increased by 70,700 (+5.5%) to 1,351,500 in December 2024, with Pigs 80kg and over showing the largest increase of 25,100 (+9.2%), followed by Pigs 50kg and under 80kg rising by 18,400 (+6.6%).
Provisional figures for the number of Sheep estimate the total at just under 3.64 million Sheep in December 2024, a decrease of 103,900 (-2.8%) compared with the previous year.
The number of Breeding Sheep fell by 73,100 (-2.8%) to 2.58 million, while the number of Other Sheep decreased by 30,800 (-2.8%) to 1.05 million.
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Statistician's Comment
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) has today (4th March 2025) published Livestock Survey results for December 2024.
Commenting on the release, Stephanie Kelleher, Statistician in the Agriculture Section of the CSO, said:
"The total number of Cattle fell by 3.3% to 6,308,300 in the year to December 2024. The number of Dairy Cows dropped to 1,481,300 (-29,600 or -2%) while Other Cows fell by 50,700 (-6.2%).
The total number of Pigs increased by 4.7% in December 2024 to 1,473,700. The number of Breeding Pigs was down by 3.6% while Other Pigs was up by 5.5% with the largest increase in Pigs 80 kg and over (+9.2%).
Provisional figures for the total number of Sheep showed a decrease of 103,900 (-2.8%) compared with December 2023. The number of Breeding Sheep was down by 73,100 (-2.8%) while the number of Other Sheep also dropped by 30,800 (-2.8%)."