Intelligence

Latest UK / Ireland slaughter statistics

08/10/2002

UK figures Supplied by Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs(DEFRA). Irish figures courtesy of Central Statistics Office of Ireland (CSO).

Table 1 : Weekly UK slaughter estimates

The figures in brackets give revised estimates for the corresponding weeks in the previous year.

All figures expressed as '000 head,

                                                        Week ending

                        31 Aug 2002 07 Sep 2002 14 Sep 2002 21 Sep 2002

Steers                     18 (17)     20 (21)    21 (22)     22 (23)

Heifers                    12 (11)     14 (14)    15 (14)     15 (14)

Young bulls                5.9 (6.0)   6.8 (7.0)  6.9 (7.0)   6.4 (6.6)

Cows and adult bulls       0 (0)       0 (0)      0 (0)       0 (0)

Calves                     2.4 (2.2)   3.1 (2.7)  2.8 (2.8)   2.7 (2.8)

Ewes and rams              39 (36)     41 (45)    42 (44)     42 (44)

Other sheep                259 (222)   297 (269)  307 (261)   287 (258)

Sows and boars             4.7 (3.1)   6.0 (3.7)  6.3 (3.6)   5.9 (3.5)

Other pigs                 181 (184)   204 (215)  205 (215)   205 (212)

Provisional weekly estimates of the number of cattle and sheep slaughtered for meat in the United Kingdom. The estimates are derived from information supplied by a sample of representative slaughterhouses. They are liable to a degree of sampling error and revision as late returns are received and too much should not be read into changes from one week to another.

Table 2: Irish livestock slaughterings July 2002

                                    '000 head

                                   Cattle   Sheep

July 2001                    137.4    399.6

July 2002                    150.5    423.3

% change                     +9.5%  +5.9%

Jan-July 2002-2001    -5.6% -20.9%