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
September 2008
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.
Table 1: UK monthly slaughter estimates
July 2008 August 2008 September 2008
5 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks
Steers 87 67 86
Heifers 61 48 58
Young Bulls 30 21 21
Cows and Adult Bulls 49 42 47
Calves 4 5 5
Other Sheep and Lambs 1311 1194 1270
Ewes and Rams 214 198 204
Clean Pigs 846 669 697
Sows and Boars 19 16 18
Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings
September 2008
Cattle Sheep Pigs
September 2007 152.1 342.1 209.9
September 2008 163.9 301.0 219.4
% change September 2008/2007 +7.8% -12.0% -0.9%
Jan-Sept 2008/2007 -4.8% -12.0% -0.9%
The number of cattle slaughtered in September 2008 was 7.8% higher than in September 2007.
A comparison of September 2008 and 2007 figures showed that:
- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 12.0%.
- Pig slaughterings increased by 4.5%.
The number of cattle slaughterings in January-September 2008 was 4.8% lower than the corresponding 2007 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 12% in sheep slaughterings and a decrease of 0.9% in pig slaughterings.
Between the periods January to July 2007 and 2008, France, the UK, Italy and Ireland recorded decreases in cattle slaughterings of 2.6%, 3,5%, 3.5% and 6.3%, respectively. Germany recorded an increase of 3.7%.
