UK Slaughter Statistics – May 2011

UK - Cattle, pig and sheep slaughterings were all up according to the latest National Statistics produced by Defra.
calendar icon 27 May 2011
clock icon 5 minute read

Key points

  • Cattle: UK prime cattle slaughterings were one per cent higher than in April 2010 at 204,000 head. Beef and veal production was 86,000 tonnes, one per cent higher than in April 2010.
  • Pigs: UK clean pig slaughterings were four per cent higher than in April 2010 at 889,000 head. Pig meat production was 72,000 tonnes, a rise of four per cent on April 2010.
  • Sheep: UK clean sheep slaughterings were four per cent higher than in April 2010 at 962,000 head. Mutton and lamb production was 23,000 tonnes, five per cent higher than in April 2010.

Section 1: UK monthly slaughter estimates

This table shows monthly estimates of the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for meat for human consumption in the United Kingdom. The survey is run according to statistical, rather than calendar months, the number of weeks in the statistical month is specified below.

Table 1. UK monthly slaughter estimates
thousand head
United Kingdom February 2011
4 weeks
March 2011
4 weeks
April 2011
5 weeks
Steers 80 84 100
Heifers 68 65 76
Young bulls 22 23 28
Cows and adult bulls 49 44 49
Calves 7 8 8
Other sheep and lambs 828 807 962
Ewes and rams 160 141 173
Clean pigs 769 763 889
Sows and boars * * *
* Data are confidential

Section 2: UK average dressed carcass weights

This table shows the monthly average dressed carcase weight of livestock slaughtered for meat for human consumption in the United Kingdom.

Table 2. UK average dressed carcass weights
kilogramme
United Kingdom February 2011 March 2011 April 2011
Steers 368.1 369.2 367.3
Heifers 322.8 321.4 320.9
Young bulls 340.3 339.2 340.9
Cows and adult bulls 321.3 320.3 321.5
Calves 39.3 38.6 42.6
Other sheep and lambs 19.12 19.6 19.4
Ewes and rams 25.4 25.9 26.6
Clean pigs 79.7 79.0 77.5
Sows and boars 143.4 145.5 151.1

Section 3: UK monthly home-killed production of meat

This table shows the monthly volumes of meat produced in the United Kingdom. Data is shown according to statistical, rather than calendar months, number of weeks in statistical month as specified.

Table 3: UK monthly home-killed production of meat
thousand tonnes
United Kingdom February 2011
4 weeks
March 2011
4 weeks
April 2011
5 weeks
Beef 75 74 86
Mutton and lamb 20 19 23
Pig meat 64 63 72

Section 4: UK average weekly slaughterings

This following table shows the average weekly slaughter figures for the last thirteen months. The monthly slaughter figures in section one are affected by the number of weeks in the statistical month. To get a clearer measure of trends weekly averages are calculated by dividing the number of livestock slaughtered each month by the number of weeks in the statistical month.

Longer term trends can be seen in the charts following this table.

Table 4. UK average weekly slaughterings
thousand head
United Kingdom 2010 2011
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Steers 20 19 18 18 18 21 22 21 18 20 20 21 20
Heifers 15 14 14 13 13 14 15 17 15 17 17 16 15
Young bulls 6 7 8 8 8 7 6 6 5 6 6 6 6
Cows and adult bulls 9 9 9 10 10 11 13 16 11 14 12 11 10
Calves 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 2
Other sheep and lambs 186 175 191 245 287 283 284 306 251 205 207 202 192
Ewes and rams 33 33 35 38 43 41 41 47 39 39 40 35 35
Clean pigs 172 174 171 171 181 184 190 197 179 181 192 191 178
Sows and Boars 4 4 4 * * * * * * * * * *
* Data are confidential



United Kingdom average weekly slaughtering – Cattle


United Kingdom average weekly slaughtering – Sheep


United Kingdom average weekly slaughtering – Pigs

Section 5: UK slaughterings by country

This table shows monthly estimates of the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for meat in England and Wales, Scotland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Data are shown in statistical months, rather than calendar months. The totals for the countries may not add up to the Great Britain totals or the United Kingdom totals in section one, due to rounding.

Section 5. UK slaughterings by country
thousand head
  February 2011
4 weeks
March 2011
4 weeks
April 2011
5 weeks
England & Wales
Steers 48 51 62
Heifers 39 38 46
Young bulls 15 16 19
Cows and adult bulls 37 34 37
Calves 7 8 7
Other sheep and lambs 700 680 829
Ewes and rams 156 137 168
Clean pigs 598 593 686
Sows and boars * * *
Scotland
Steers 19 20 23
Heifers 16 16 18
Young bulls 2 2 4
Cows and adult bulls 4 4 5
Calves 0 0 0
Other sheep and lambs 115 115 118
Ewes and rams 2 2 2
Clean pigs 48 49 60
Sows and Boars 0 0 0
Great Britain
Steers 66 71 85
Heifers 55 54 64
Young bulls 17 18 23
Cows and adult bulls 41 38 42
Calves 7 8 7
Other sheep and lambs 815 795 947
Ewes and rams 158 139 170
Clean -Pigs 646 641 746
Sows and Boars * * *
Northern Ireland
Steers 14 13 15
Heifers 12 11 12
Young bulls 5 5 5
Cows and adult bulls 8 6 7
Calves 0 0 0
Other sheep and lambs 13 128 15
Ewes and rams 2 2 3*
Clean pigs 123 122 143
Sows and boars 1 1 0
*Data are confidential

Further Reading

- You can view the full report by clicking here.

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