Latest UK and Ireland slaughter statistics
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 2007
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 2007 November 2007 December 2007
5 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks
Steers 114 90 75
Heifers 77 67 61
Young Bulls 28 24 22
Cows and Adult Bulls 41 42 38
Calves 11 7 4
Other Sheep and Lambs 1431 1293 1270
Ewes and Rams 221 180 201
Clean Pigs 960 796 715
Sows and Boars 12 31 21
Livestock slaughtered under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme are excluded.
Table 2: Irish livestock slaughterings
December 2007
Cattle Sheep Pigs
December 2006 122.8 266.0 199.4
December 2007 118.6 235.3 185.3
% change December 2007/2006 -3.4% -11.5% -7.1%
% change Jan-December 2007/2006 -0.1% -6.3% -1.6%
Cattle slaughterings down 3.4% in December
The number of cattle slaughtered in December 2007 was 3.4% lower than in December 2006.
A comparison of December 2007 and 2006 figures shows:
- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 11.5%.
- Pig slaughterings decreased by 7.1%.
The number of cattle slaughterings in 2007 was 0.1% lower than the corresponding 2006 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 6.3% in sheep slaughterings and a decrease of 1.6% in pig slaughterings.
Between the periods January to September 2006 and 2007, the United Kingdom, France and Greece recorded decreases in sheep slaughterings of 5.4%, 3.5% and 3.4% respectively. Spain recorded an increase of 3.2%.
