The number of pigs in Ireland in December 2023 was down by 10.4% when compared with the same month in the previous year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The CSO Livestock Survey December 2023 published today (Tuesday, February 13) shows that pig numbers dropped by 162,800 to 1,407,600.
Donal Kelly, senior statistician in the agriculture section of the CSO, said that this is the lowest level since 1991.
“The numbers of both breeding pigs and non-breeding pigs were down by 0.6% and 11.2% respectively, with the largest drop in the ‘non-breeding pigs 80kg and over’ category (-15%).
“The number of breeding pigs in the country (126,800) were at their lowest level since December 1988,” he said.
The data shows that sows in pig fell by 9,800 (-13.5%) with gilts in pig rising by 2,100 (+13.6%).
CSO
The total number of cattle in the country was down by 0.4% or 25,900 to 6,526,000 in December 2023, compared with the same period in the previous year.
Male cattle showed the largest increase of 22,900 (+18.9%), the female cattle numbers rose by 20,700 (+9.6%).
“The number of dairy cows rose slightly to 1,510,900 (+500) while the number of ‘other cows’ fell by 43,200 (-5%).
The total number of cattle aged one-two years fell by 6,300 (-0.4%) while cattle aged two years and over (excluding cows and bulls) rose by 43,700 (+13%),” Kelly said.
The CSO’s provisional figures for the total number of sheep showed a decrease of 23,000 (-0.6%) to 3,995,000, compared with December 2022.
The number of breeding sheep was down by 62,900 (-2.3%), rams increased by 3,800 (+4.4%) with ewes decreasing by 66,700 (-2.5%).
The data showed that the number of ‘other sheep’ rose by 39,900 (+3.2%) to 1,305,600.