The numbers of both breeding pigs and non-breeding pigs were down by 0.6 per cent and 11.2 per cent respectively with the largest drop in the 'non-Breeding Pigs 80kg and over' category (-15 per cent). The number of breeding pigs in the country (126,800) was at its lowest level since December 1988.
Other headline statistics include:
- Cattle numbers dropped by 25,900 (-0.4 per cent) to 6,526,000;
- Male cattle aged two years and over increased by 22,900 (+18.9 per cent); and
- Provisional sheep numbers are estimated at 3,995,000, a decrease of 23,000 (-0.6 per cent).
Commenting on the release, Donal Kelly, senior statistician in the agriculture section of the CSO, said: "The number of dairy cows rose slightly to 1,510,900 (+500) while the number of other cows fell by 43,200 (-5 per cent). The total number of cattle aged one-two years fell by 6,300 (-0.4 per cent) while cattle aged two years and over (excluding cows and bulls) rose by 43,700 (+13 per cent).”
“The provisional figures for the total number of sheep showed a decrease of 23,000 (-0.6 per cent) compared with December 2022. The number of breeding sheep was down by 62,900 (-2.3 per cent) while the number of other sheep rose by 39,900 (+3.2 per cent)."