New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that cattle slaughterings over the 12 months to April 2024 are estimated to be almost 638,000 head.
This represents an increase of more than 28,000 head when compared with the same period in 2023.
Latest livestock slaughterings figures published today (Tuesday, May 28) by the CSO also show that in the first four months of 2024 cattle slaughterings rose by 4.6% when compared with the same period in 2023.
The number of pigs slaughtered last month also rose by almost 23,000 head to 273,000 head when compared to the same month last year.
But the number of sheep slaughtered in April 2024 were 205,000 head – which represented a drop of nearly 45,000 head when compared with the same month in 2023.
The latest CSO statistics are based on figures from 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
Further analysis of the latest CSO figures show that in the 12 month period to April 2024 cattle slaughterings are estimated to be almost 638,000 head- which represents a 4.6% increase when compared with the same period in 2023.
During the same period sheep slaughterings decreased by approximately 57,000 head – 5.6% – to just over 954,000 head when compared with the same four months in 2023.
Meanwhile pig slaughterings are estimated to be approximately 1.1 million head for January to April 2024, up nearly 9,000 head on the same period in 2023.
Bord Bia
Latest Bord Bia figures highlight that there were 31,984 cattle processed in DAFM approved plants during the week ending May 19, 2024 – which has taken throughput for the year to date to 692,034 head.
This represents a 18,573 head or 3% increase on the corresponding period in 2023 when a total of 673,461 cattle were processed.
“There have been 494,448 prime cattle processed in the first 20 weeks of 2024 – a 3% increase from the same period last year.
“Cow throughput has remained strong with 167,808 cows processed so far this year, a notable increase of 18,817 head,” Bord Bia stated.