The number of cattle and sheep slaughtered during November rose but total pig slaughterings fell according to latest statistics from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Figures released today (Tuesday, December 20) show the number of cattle slaughtered last month increased by 4.5% compared with corresponding results for November 2021.
The number of sheep slaughtered also increased by 9.8% in November 2022 compared to sheep slaughterings in November 2021.
However while cattle and sheep slaughterings rose there was a significant drop in the number of pig slaughtered which fell back by 5.6% last month compared with corresponding results for the same month in 2021.
The latest CSO figures reflect a trend in livestock slaughter numbers throughout 2022 where cattle and sheep slaughter figures increased but in contrast there was a decrease in the number of pigs slaughtered.
In the 11 months to November total cattle slaughterings rose by 7.2% when compared with the same period in 2021.
It was a similar picture for sheep slaughterings which grew by 7.5% between January and November of this year compared to the corresponding 11 months in 2021.
However the number of pigs slaughtered showed a year on year decrease of 1.1% between January and November 2022.
Bord Bia trade figures
Separately Bord Bia has highlighted that cattle supplies at export approved meat plants totaled 36,200 head during the week ending December 10th, 2022.
It said this figure shows an increase of 1,416 head above the corresponding week in 2021 which represents a year on year 4% increase.
According to Bord Bia 1,736,539 cattle have been processed during 2022 to date which represents an increase of 127,043 head from the same period last year.
In relation to the number of sheep processed by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) approved plants latest figures show there were 59,680 sheep processed during the week ending December 4th, 2022.
It estimates that the total number of lambs processed in 2022 to date is likely to be approximately 57,000 head behind 2021 figures.
Meanwhile latest Bord Bia market reports show a total of 73,538 pigs were processed in Irish export plants during the week ending December 10th, 2022.
It highlights that total pig throughput has begun to “tighten significantly in recent months” which reflects the impact of subdued producer confidence.
Pig pig supplies are estimated to be running around two per cent lower at just over 3 million head.