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

December  2006

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.

 

                                     October 2006          November 2006        December 2006
                                         5 weeks                     4 weeks                    4 weeks

Steers                                      113                          93                             79

Heifers                                      77                           68                             61

Young Bulls                              27                           23                            18

Cows and Adult Bulls               53                           47                             54  

Calves                                       4                             3                               3

Other Sheep and Lambs      1587                         1221                          1150

Ewes and Rams                     221                          179                           192

Clean Pigs                             915                          749                           693 

Sows and Boars                      21                           17                              14

 

• Livestock slaughtered under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme are excluded.

Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings

December 2006

 

                                              Cattle                      Sheep                        Pigs

 

December 2005                     145.9                       304.1                        208.9

December 2006                     123.5                       268.5                        199.4

% change                              -15.4%                    -11.7%                       -4.5%

Jan-Dec 2006/2005                +5.2%                     -3.6%                       +0.4% 

 

Cattle slaughterings down 15.4% in December

The number of cattle slaughtered in December 2006 was 15.4% lower than in

December 2005. See Table.

A comparison of December 2006 and 2005 figures shows that:

- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 11.7%.

- Pig slaughterings decreased by 4.5%.

The number of cattle slaughterings in 2006 was 5.2% higher than in 2005. Over the same period there was a decrease of 3.6% in sheep slaughterings and an increase of 0.4% in pig  slaughterings.

Between the periods January to September 2005 and 2006, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and France recorded decreases in pig slaughterings of 19.8%, 4.9%, 3.6% and 1.1% respectively. Poland and Germany recorded increases of 9.1% and 3.9% respectively.