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
May 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
March 2009 April 2009 May 2009
4 weeks 5 weeks 4 weeks
Steers 77 96 77
Heifers 67 80 62
Young Bulls 18 23 23
Cows and Adult Bulls 36 41 35
Calves 4 3 2
Other Sheep and Lambs 891 1058 764
Ewes and Rams 172 201 152
Clean Pigs 700 834 674
Sows and Boars 16 20 15
Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings
May 2009
Cattle Sheep Pigs
May 2008 126.8 244.6 215.1
May 2009 123.9 203.6 184.1
% change -2.3% -16.8% -14.4%
Jan-May 2009/2008 -7.0% -7.6% -9.9%
The number of cattle slaughtered in May 2009 was 2.3% lower than in May 2008.
A comparison of May 2009 and 2008 figures showed that:
- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 16.8%.
- Pig slaughterings decreased by 14.4%.
The number of cattle slaughterings in January-May 2009 was 7.0% lower than the corresponding 2008 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 7.6% in sheep slaughterings and a decrease of 9.9% in pig slaughterings.
