Slaughterings of cattle, sheep and pigs declined between January and November 2023, when compared to the same period in 2022, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
The number of cattle slaughtered fell by 2.4% to over 1.7 million heads in the first 11 months this year, latest figures published by the CSO today (Thursday, December 21) show.
Sheep slaughterings dropped slightly between January and November this year by 0.6% to just over 2.9 million heads when compared to the same period in 2022.
CSO figures show that the number of pigs slaughtered fell most significantly by 8.9% to almost 3.1 million heads during the eleven-month period this year on last year.
November slaughterings
Both cattle and sheep slaughterings increased last month by 0.8% to 181,365 heads and by 0.2% to 289,539 heads respectively when compared to November 2022.
Pig slaughterings contracted by 5.2% to 306,274 heads, according to CSO statistician in the agriculture accounts and production section, Mairead Griffin.
This includes 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.
Labour productivity
The hours worked in the agriculture sector increased by 11.9% in quarter three (Q3) this year when compared to quarter two (Q2) 2023, according to latest CSO figures.
Productivity across the economy decreased in July, August and September, CSO labour productivity figures for Q3 this year published today show.
Labour productivity measures the amount of output per hour worked in a sector. In Q3 2023 the economy became less efficient compared with the previous quarter, the CSO said.