Between January and June 2026, cattle slaughterings decreased by 10.8% when compared with the same period in 2025, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

Cattle slaughterings were down by 3.8% when comparing June 2026 with June 2025.

The number of sheep slaughtered fell by 2.6% between January and June 2025 and January and June 2026.

The number decreased by 12.6% in June 2026 when compared with June 2025.

The CSO has today (Monday, July 27) published data on livestock slaughterings for June 2026.

Commenting on the release, CSO statistician in the agriculture accounts and production section, Mattis Voss said: "Cattle slaughterings decreased by 3.8% to 124,000 heads in June 2026 when compared with June 2025.

"During the same period, the number of sheep slaughtered decreased by 12.6% to 174,000 heads while pig slaughterings were up 5.8% to 284,000 heads."

Voss said that further analysis of the data shows that between January and June 2026, cattle slaughterings contracted by 10.8% to 809,000 heads when compared with the same period in 2025.

"The number of sheep slaughterings fell by 2.6% to 1.1 million heads and pig slaughterings went up by 4% to 1.7 million heads over the same six-month period," the statistician added.