Intelligence

Latest UK and Irish slaughter statistics

29/03/2005

 

 

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

 

 

                                       December 2004        January 2005      February 2005

                                            5 weeks                     5 weeks                 4 weeks

Steers                                     95                               78                            87

Heifers                                   93                               70                            63

Young Bulls                             38                               33                            29

Cows and Adult Bulls                0                                 0                              0

Calves                                      12                               10                              9

Other Sheep and Lambs          1423                           1211                         915

Ewes and Rams                        196                            195                          156

Clean Pigs                               888                            861                           697

Sows and Boars                       22                              21                            18

 

 

 

Table 2: Irish livestock slaughterings

 

January 2005

 

 ‘000 head

 

                          Cattle              Sheep             Pigs

January 2004         141.5                     234.2                    263.3

January 2005          86.1                      247.5                   213.5

% change               -39.2%                  +5.7%                    -18.9%

 

Cattle slaughterings down 39.2% in January

The number of cattle slaughtered in January 2005 was considerably lower (by

39.2%) than in January 2004, subsequent to the ending of the EU Slaughter

Premium.

A comparison of January 2005 and 2004 figures shows that:

- Sheep slaughterings increased by 5.7%.

- Pig slaughterings decreased by 18.9%.

- EU-15 sheep slaughtering figures between the periods January to September 2003 and 2004 decreased by 1.0%. France, Spain and Greece recorded decreases of 3.9%, 1.1% and 0.7% respectively. The United Kingdom recorded an increase of 1.2%.