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

Table 1: UK Monthly Slaughter Estimates

All figures expressed as '000 head

United Kingdom              April 2004               May 2004               June 2004

                                          5 weeks                    4 weeks                  4 weeks

Steers                                     98                            79                          66

Heifers                                   68                             55                          51

Young Bulls                             39                             38                          40

Cows and Adult Bulls                0                                0                            0

Calves                                      6                                3                            3

Other Sheep and Lambs       1003                             781                       849

Ewes and Rams                      147                             121                        134

Clean Pigs                             803                            657                        666

Sows and Boars                       21                              16                           18

Table 2: Irish livestock slaughterings, May 2004

All figures expressed as '000 head

                                            Cattle                      Sheep                       Pigs

May 2003                              140.5                       311.0                     225.4

May 2004                               121.3                      286.4                     201.4

% change                              -13.7%                      -7.9%                   -10.6%

Jan-May 2004/2003              -6.1%                      +4.4%                     -9.3%

The number of cattle slaughtered in May 2004 was 13.7% lower than in May 2003.

A comparison of May 2004 and 2003 figures shows that sheep slaughterings decreased by 7.9% and pig slaughterings decreased by 10.6%.

The number of sheep slaughterings in January-May 2004 was 4.4% higher than the corresponding 2003 figure.

Over the same period there was a decrease of 6.1% in cattle slaughterings, while pig slaughterings also decreased by 9.3%.

Pig slaughterings for the EU-15 marginally increased between 2002 and 2003.

Spain, Germany, and Denmark recorded increases of 3.1%, 2.7%, and 0.5% respectively. The Netherlands and France recorded decreases of 9.8% and 0.5% respectively.

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