The latest livestock slaughtering figures for May 2018 have been released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), with pigs witnessing the most notable increase of almost 5%.
The number of cattle slaughtered in May 2018 decreased by 1.9%, when compared with the same month last year, according to the CSO.
A further comparison between May of this year and the same month in 2017 showed that sheep slaughterings also dropped, but that pig numbers rose well.
In numerical terms, May 2018 saw 150,100 cattle, 260,100 sheep and 309,600 pigs slaughtered – this compared to 153,000 cattle, 265,800 sheep and 295,200 pigs slaughtered during the fifth month of last year.
Source: Central Statistics Office
Meanwhile, the CSO also showed that a comparison of figures for January to May of this year with the corresponding period in 2017 saw an increase across the board – with pigs once again leading the way in terms of increases.
- Cattle slaughterings increased by 2.8%;
- Sheep slaughterings increased by 1.9%;
- Pig slaughterings increased by 5.6%.
According to the CSO, the figures recorded include slaughterings at both meat establishments approved by the Department of Agriculture and slaughterhouses and meat plants approved by Local Authorities under S.I. 432 of 2009.
Europe-wide CO2 shortage hits Scottish Abattoir
Across the water, in the midst of a growing shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2) across Europe, a Scottish abattoir has announced that it will close after running out of the gas.
Quality Pork Limited (QPL) typically processes around 6,000 pigs a week at its site in Brechin, Angus.
It’s understood that the site plans to send around a thousand pigs to its sister plant near Manchester – but other abattoirs also face shortages.