Cattle slaughterings were up 8.3% in July 2026 compared with the same month last year, new figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show.

However, between January and July 2026, cattle slaughterings decreased by 8.5% when compared with the same period in 2025.

The number of sheep slaughtered fell by 6.3% between January and July 2025 and January and July 2026.

The number of sheep slaughtered decreased by 5.9% in July 2026 when compared with July 2025.

The number of pigs slaughtered in the first seven months of 2026 grew by 3.6% when compared with the same seven-month period in 2025.

The number increased by 1.2% in July 2026 when compared with July 2025.

CSO agriculture accounts and production section statistician, Mattis Voss gave further details on livestock slaughterings. 

"Cattle slaughterings increased by 8.3% to 129,000 heads in July 2026 when compared with July 2025," Voss said.

"During the same period, the number of sheep slaughtered decreased by 5.9% to 192,000 heads while pig slaughterings were up 1.2% to 305,000 heads.

"Further analysis of the data shows that between January and July 2026, cattle slaughterings contracted by 8.5% to 938,000 heads when compared with the same period in 2025.

"The number of sheep slaughterings fell by 6.3% to 1.3m heads and pig slaughterings went up by 3.6% to 2m heads over the same seven-month period."