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
October 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
August 2008 September 2008 October 2008
4 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks
Steers 66 86 104
Heifers 49 58 71
Young Bulls 20 21 23
Cows and Adult Bulls 42 48 64
Calves 5 6 7
Other Sheep and Lambs 1200 1278 1565
Ewes and Rams 198 204 239
Clean Pigs 669 699 847
Sows and Boars 16 ?? 18 21
Table 2: Irish Livestock Slaughterings
October 2008
Cattle Sheep Pigs
October 2007 175.4 362.7 221.0
October 2008 174.6 275.8 222.3
% change October 2008/2007 -0.5% -24 % +0.6%
Jan-Oct 2008/2007 -4.3% -13.6% -0.8%
The number of cattle slaughtered in October 2008 was 0.5% lower than in October 2007.
A comparison of October 2008 and 2007 figures showed that:
- Sheep slaughterings decreased by 24%.
- Pig slaughterings increased by 0.6%.
The number of cattle slaughterings in January- October 2008 was 4.3% lower than the corresponding 2007 figure. Over the same period there was a decrease of 13.6% in sheep slaughterings and a decrease of 0.8% in pig slaughterings.
Between the periods January to August 2007 and 2008, Greece, Spain, France and Ireland recorded decreases in sheep slaughterings of 2.3%, 27.9%, 5.4% and 12%, respectively. The UK recorded an increase of 5%.
