Latest UK and Ireland Slaughter Statistics
UK figures supplied by Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Irish figures courtesy of Central Statistics Office of Ireland (CSO).
All figures expressed as ‘000 head
April 2009
Monthly estimates of the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for meat in the United Kingdom are given in the table below. They are shown in statistical months.
Table 1: UK monthly slaughter estimates
February 2009 March 2009 April 2009
4 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks
Steers 75 77 97
Heifers 69 67 80
Young Bulls 17 18 23
Cows and Adult Bulls 40 36 41
Calves 3 4 3
Other Sheep and Lambs 909 891 1057
Ewes and Rams 170 172 203
Clean Pigs 674 700 834
Sows and Boars 16 16 20
Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings
April 2009
Cattle Sheep Pigs
April 2008 139.7 211.2 226.8
April 2009 127.2 193.0 203.6
% change -8.9% -8.6% -10.2%
Jan-Feb 2009/2008 -8.1% -5.0% -8.9%
The number of cattle slaughtered in April 2009 was 8.9% lower than in April 2008.
A comparison of April 2009 and 2008 figures showed that:
- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 8.6%.
- Pig slaughterings decreased by 10.2%.
The number of cattle slaughterings in January-April 2009 was 8.1% lower than the corresponding 2008 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 5% in sheep slaughterings and a decrease of 8.9% in pig slaughterings.
