The number of cattle slaughtered in the first nine months of this year fell by 3.7% compared with the same period in 2025, the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show.
Despite the initial drop, the kill picked up in September, increasing by 9.3% compared with September 2025.
The 3.7% drop on 2025 levels equates to 47,000 head, leaving the total cattle kill from January to September of this year at 1.2 million.
Sheep
The number of sheep slaughtered in January to September 2026 fell by 1.2% when compared with the same nine-month period in 2025 and increased by 3.8% in September 2026 when compared with September 2025.
The number of pigs slaughtered in the first nine months of 2026 grew by 4.5% (115,000 head) when compared with the same nine-month period in 2025 and increased by 8.8% in September 2026 when compared with September 2025.
Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 2.6 million head between January and September 2026.
