The number of sheep slaughtered last month is 25.8% lower compared to March 2024, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This decline has been a trend for the year as slaughtering numbers have dropped 22.6% between January and March compared to the same period last year.

The decrease in March equates to 70,100 fewer heads of sheep slaughtered. In total, there were 201,900 sheep slaughterings last month.

The average carcass weight of sheep in March was 23.27kg, higher compare to the 22.06kg in the same month last year.

Other livestock

Cattle slaughterings increased by 3.5% to more than 158,000 heads in March 2025 when compared with March 2024. These carcasses weighed 49,900t overall.

However, between January and March 2025, cattle slaughterings still fell by 0.1% to almost 483,000 heads.

Meanwhile, the number of pigs slaughtered in March increased by 0.3% to approximately 275,000 heads.

Since the start of the year, there have been 842,000 heads of pigs slaughtered, a 0.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

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Over 25% less sheep slaughtering this March – CSO

This decline has been a trend for the year as slaughtering numbers have dropped 22.6% between January and March compared to the same period last year.