Cattle slaughterings fell by 24.5% to 119,000 head last month when compared with figures for July 2024, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Latest analysis from the CSO also highlighted that from January to July of this year, cattle slaughterings dropped by 4.5% when compared with the same period in 2024. Calf slaughterings are included with cattle.

Total cattle slaughterings in the year to July 2025 were estimated to be approximately one million head, which would represent a decrease of 49,000 head.

The figures include slaughterings at both meat establishments approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and slaughterhouses and meat plants approved by local authorities.

According to Bord Bia an overall contraction in the cow herd and a buoyant live trade for cattle this spring - following on from strong calf export seasons in 2023 and 2024 - "are all contributing to the current tightening in cattle supplies".

According to Mairead Griffin, statistician in the CSO Agriculture Accounts and Production Section, the number of sheep slaughtered in July also fell by 20.9% to 203,000 head when compared with figures for the same month last year.

However pig slaughterings were up by 2.2% last month to approximately 304,000 head when compared to corresponding figures for 2024.

According to the CSO the increase in pig slaugherings follows a general trend this year.

The number of pigs slaughtered in the first seven months of 2025 increased by 2.8% when compared with the same seven months in 2024.

Pig slaughterings were estimated to be in the region of two million head between January and July 2025, which was up by 54,000 head.

While the decline in sheep slaughterings last month is also consistent with the pattern to date this year.

The number of sheep slaughtered declined by 16.3% in the first seven months of 2025, latest figures show.

This means that sheep slaughterings fell by 267,000 head to 1.4 million head from January to July.