In the first seven months of 2026, the number of sheep and cattle slaughtered fell by 6.3% and 8.5% respectively when compared with the same period in 2025, the latest Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows.

Between January and July 2026, cattle slaughterings decreased by 8.5%, a total of 87,000 head, to 938,000 when compared with the same period in 2025.

However, the cattle kill was up 10,000 head in July 2026, an increase of 8.3% on last year's figure, to 129,000 head.

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Sheep

During the first seven months in 2026, sheep slaughterings dropped by 87,000 head (6.3%) to 1.3m head when compared with the same months in 2025.

The sheep kill was down for the month of July to 192,000 head, a decrease of 12,000 (5.9%) compared with July 2025.

The number of pigs slaughtered in July 2026 rose by 4,000 head (1.2%) to 305,000 head when compared with July 2025.

Pig slaughterings are estimated to be 2m heads between January and July 2026, up 72,000 head (3.6%) on the same period in 2025.