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

 

Table 1: UK monthly slaughter estimates

 

                                                    October 2005    November 2005   December 2005

                                                        5 weeks               4 weeks                4 weeks

Steers                                                 109                        92                            78

Heifers                                                  76                        74                            68

Young Bulls                                          38                        32                            26

Cows and Adult Bulls                             0                          8                            10

Calves                                                   14                         9                               7

Other Sheep and Lambs                    1543                    1340                        1230

Ewes and Rams                                   217                      176                          164

Clean Pigs                                           879                      742                          708

Sows and Boars                                   16                        14                            11

 

 

Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings

 

November 2005

 

                                                         Cattle                     Sheep                      Pigs

November 2004                                 191.2                       317.1                     245.9

November 2005                                 184.6                       318.7                     235.3

% change                                          -3.5%                      +0.5%                    -4.3%

Jan-Nov 2005/2004                            -6.7%                     +1.6%                     -2.9%

 

Cattle slaughterings down 6.7% in November

The number of cattle slaughtered in November 2005 was 3.5% lower than in November 2004.

A comparison of November 2005 and 2004 figures shows that:

- Sheep slaughterings increased by 0.5%.

- Pig slaughterings decreased by 4.3%.

The number of sheep slaughterings in January-November 2005 was 1.6% higher than the corresponding 2004 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 6.7% in cattle slaughterings and 2.9% in pig slaughterings.

EU-15 cattle slaughtering figures between the periods January to August 2004 and 2005 decreased by 3.2%. Germany, France and Italy recorded decreases of 9.9%, 2.6% and 1.7% respectively. The United Kingdom recorded an increase of 1.4%.