The number of cattle slaughtered between January and October 2023 fell by 2.8%, to more than 1.5 million head, according to new data published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) today (Tuesday, November 28).
The latest Livestock Slaughterings report from the CSO highlights that 44,543 fewer cattle were slaughtered up to October when compared with the same period last year.
In the first 10 months of the year, the total number of sheep and pigs slaughtered also fell back.
Sheep slaughterings fell by 0.7% or 17,240 head between January and October 2023, to just over 2.6 million head when compared with the same 10 months in 2022.
According to the CSO pig slaughterings also fell by 9.3% to October of this year compared to the corresponding timeframe last year.
The total number of pigs slaughtered between January to October is estimated to be more than 2.7 million head between January and October 2023 – which is down 282,701 head or 9.3%, on the same period last year.
The latest 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.
CSO
Although the latest CSO report overall details a fall in cattle, pig and sheep slaughterings in the 10 months to October, analysis of the slaughterings for October suggests some change in the trend to date this year.
Mairead Griffin, statistician in the agriculture accounts and production section, said: “Cattle slaughterings increased by 4.1% to almost 175,000 heads in October 2023 when compared with October 2022.
“The number of sheep slaughtered rose by 0.4% to nearly 278,000 heads in October 2023 when compared with October 2022, while pig slaughterings contracted by 3.3% to almost 272,000 heads.”
Bord Bia
According to Bord Bia “prime cattle have been presented for slaughter a few weeks later than normal this autumn due to poorer performance at grass”.
However, throughout is expected to increase into the final quarter of the year.
“Cow availability has declined however with many producers housing cattle across the country the numbers being processed is expected to pick and operate to similar levels as 2022 in the run up to Christmas,” Bord Bia detailed.