The Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) latest slaughtering data shows that cattle slaughterings in the Republic rose by 11.4% between January to April 2022 and the same period in 2021. But an analysis of the data for April 2022 compared to April 2021 shows that cattle slaughterings increased by 17.5%.
The update showed the number of pigs slaughtered grew by 1.5% between January to April 2022 and the same period in 2021. However, pig slaughterings remained unchanged for April 2022 compared to April 2021.
The number of sheep slaughtered rose by 31.1% for April 2022 compared to April 2021.
The figures include slaughterings at meat establishments approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and slaughterhouses and meat plants approved by Local Authorities under S.I. 432 of 2009.
The CSO’s slaughtering data may differ from other sources due to different reference periods and the completeness of the data. This release is based on data received from both DAFM and local authority approved slaughtering facilities and is compiled on a calendar monthly basis.
Easter falls each year on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April, inclusively. The level of sheep slaughtering in March and April each year is greatly influenced by when Easter falls. Dates for Easter Sunday were 17 April in 2022 and 4 April in 2021.