Accredited official statistics

Chapter 8: Livestock

Published 10 July 2025

Summary

• The value of beef and veal increased by 9.3% to £4.1 billion. Home-fed production increased by 3.8% to 937 thousand tonnes. These changes are primarily due to high unit prices at the end of 2024 and high producer confidence.
• The value of pig meat increased by 3.4% to £1.8 billion. Home-fed production increased by 3.9% to 920 thousand tonnes.
• The value of mutton and lamb increased by 13% to £1.8 billion. Home-fed production decreased by 6.5% to 277 thousand tonnes. Constrained supply and robust consumer demand led to sharp price increases.
• The value of poultry meat remains stable at £3.5 billion. Home-fed production increased by 2.9% to 2,031 thousand tonnes.
• The value of milk and milk products increased by 5.5% to £6.3 billion. The volume of milk production increased by 1.1% to 15,269 thousand tonnes. Constrained supplies throughout mid 2024 led to high price increases.
• The value of eggs for human consumption increased by 35% to £1.4 billion. Production increased by 4.9% to 1,148 million dozen. The unit price increased due to a higher proportion of eggs being produced using free-range production methods, which has been one of the primary drivers of increased prices.

Meat production

Total meat production in 2024 increased by 2.6% to 4,166 thousand tonnes. The respective value of this production has increased by 5.8% to £11,300 million.

This increase in production volumes has been driven by increased meat production volumes across all livestock types with the exception of sheep. Changes to the value of production have been primarily driven by increased beef prices.

Tables 8.1a to 8.1b - Meat production, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.1a Home fed production (thousand tonnes)

Production	2022	2023	2024
Cattle	926	903	937
Pigs	1,001	886	920
Sheep	302	296	277
Poultry	1,983	1,974	2,031
Total production	4,212	4,059	4,166

Table 8.1b Value of production (£ million)

Production	2022	2023	2024
Cattle	3,583	3,797	4,148
Pigs	1,677	1,784	1,844
Sheep	1,588	1,559	1,764
Poultry	3,168	3,542	3,543
Total value	10,016	10,682	11,300

Notes:

1. Total value for meat production includes other animals that are not shown in the table.

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Cattle and calves: beef and veal

The UK beef sector experienced a strong performance in 2024, with finished cattle prices reaching historic highs. In 2024, GB prime cattle deadweight prices increased by 4.5% from 2023 and were 25% above the 5-year average. GB deadweight cull cow prices increased 3.0% from 2023 and were 26% higher than the 5-year average. This growth was driven by robust consumer demand, retail expansion, and stable foodservice volumes. However, the sector faced challenges early in the year, as adverse weather in Quarter 1 and early Quarter 2 extended the winter housing period, delaying cattle turnout. Limited forage availability increased the reliance on animal feed, meaning that beef production costs remained high due to elevated input costs. Despite these hurdles, firm output prices, supply chain sustainability goals (reducing age at slaughter), and producer confidence led to greater-than-forecast supplies in 2024.

By the second half of 2024 conditions had improved and total home-fed beef and veal production rose by 3.8% (to 937 thousand tonnes) year-on-year. This was accompanied by a 4.1% increase in prime cattle slaughter from 2023, reaching 2,116 thousand head in 2024. This rise was primarily driven by higher heifer slaughter and a 2.0% growth in dairy-beef cattle, reflecting an ongoing shift in production. UK cow slaughter grew by 2.1% between 2023 and 2024, primarily due to increased beef cow disposals, while dairy cow culling remained steady. Supply was further bolstered by a 7.9% rise in imports from 2023, driven largely by favourable production conditions and trade flows from Ireland. Meanwhile, annual exports increased by 9.1% in 2024, particularly to the EU, despite UK beef’s higher price position in global markets. In 2024, the declining trend in UK total cattle numbers continued, with the population decreasing by 3.4% from 9.7 million in 2019 to 9.4 million in 2024. Despite the fall in herd size, production volumes have remained stable. The size of the UK breeding herd for beef decreased to 1,344 thousand head. The size of the beef herd can be a good indicator of trends in future beef and veal production.

Tables 8.2a to 8.2d - Cattle and calves; beef and veal, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.2a Population (thousand head at June)

Population	2022	2023	2024
Total cattle and calves	9,632	9,555	9,412
Dairy cows	1,842	1,836	1,836
Beef cows	1,463	1,407	1,344

Table 8.2b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Total home-fed marketings (thousand head)	2,840	2,793	2,879
Steers, heifers and young bulls	2,060	2,033	2,116
Calves	126	121	111
Cows and adult bulls	655	639	652
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Steers, heifers and young bulls	346	342	343
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Calves	79	81	79
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Cows and adult bulls	313	309	310
Home fed production (dressed carcase weight, thousand tonnes)	926	903	937
Value of production (£ million)	3,583	3,797	4,148
Value of home-fed production	3,575	3,841	4,178
Change in work-in-progress	28	-25	-16
Less imported livestock	21	19	15
Plus breeding animals exported	0	0	0
Subsidies	40	40	41
Value of production at basic price	3,624	3,837	4,189

Table 8.2c Prices (pence per kg deadweight)

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Finished cattle: All prime cattle	431	476	497

Table 8.2d Supply and use (dressed carcase weight equivalent, thousand tonnes)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
Home-fed production	926	903	937
Imports from EU	284	268	281
Imports from the rest of the world	13	16	26
Exports to EU	131	115	122
Exports to the rest of the world	22	16	20
Total new supply	1,070	1,057	1,102
Home-fed production as % of new supply for use in the UK	87	85	85

Notes:

1. Measures of home-fed marketings, dressed carcase weights, production and value include animals raised and slaughtered in the UK, excluding any animals removed from the food chain.
2. Change in work-in-progress is the difference in the valuation of work-in-progress of animals to be slaughtered.
3. Subsidies comprising Scottish Beef Calf Scheme until 2014. From 2015 Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme.
4. Value of production includes subsidies and taxes.
5. Imports include meat from imports of live finished animals.

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Pigs and pig meat

UK home-fed pig meat production has increased by 3.9% since 2023 to 920 thousand tonnes in 2024, despite a further decline in the breeding herd, driven by higher average carcase weights and increased productivity from sows within the breeding herd. The increase in production offset a 4.2% decrease in the price of pig meat, to 208 pence per kilogram deadweight which resulted in an overall increase of 3.4% in the value of pig meat production to £1,844 million in 2024.

In 2024, UK pig prices continued to be largely stable, with little fluctuation throughout the year.  There was a slight decline in prices year-on-year, but prices remained historically high. In Quarter 4 of 2024, UK pig producers experienced a significant reduction in margins, averaging £9 per head, a decrease from £16, £14, and £17 per head in the first three quarters of 2024 respectively. This can be attributed to rising feed costs which increased by 8 pence per kilogram from 2023 to 124 pence per kilogram in 2024.  Trade volumes remained largely steady through 2024, with the EU and China remaining key export markets. There was a decline of 7.8% in UK exports in comparison to 2023 year-on-year. Despite a considerable fall in EU pig prices during 2024, UK pig meat imports only rose very slightly, increasing by 0.3% from 2023. 

Tables 8.3a to 8.3d - Pigs and pig meat, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.3a Population (thousand head at June)

Population	2022	2023	2024
Total pigs	5,220	4,683	4,716
Sows in pig and other sows for breeding	301	290	285
Gilts in pig	42	48	43

Table 8.3b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Total home-fed marketings (thousand head)	10,961	9,800	10,079
Clean pigs	10,698	9,573	9,854
Sows and boars	264	227	225
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Clean pigs	90	89	90
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Sows and boars	144	143	150
Home-fed production dressed carcase weight (thousand tonnes)	1,001	886	920
Value of production (£ million)	1,677	1,784	1,844
Value of home-fed production	1,693	1,805	1,830
Change in work in progress	-16	-21	14
Less imported livestock	[x]	[x]	[x]
Plus breeding animals exported	0	0	0

Table 8.3c Prices (pence per kg deadweight)

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Clean pigs	178	217	208

Table 8.3d Supply and use (dressed carcase weight equivalent, thousand tonnes)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
Home-fed production	1,001	886	920
Imports from EU	644	629	630
Imports from rest of the world	1	1	2
Exports to EU	117	82	77
Exports to rest of the world	100	71	63
Total new supply	1,429	1,364	1,411
Home-fed production as % of new supply for use in the UK	70	65	65

Notes:

1. Measures of home-fed marketings, dressed carcase weights, production and value include animals raised and slaughtered in the UK, excluding any animals removed from the food chain.
2. Change in work-in-progress is the difference in the valuation of work-in-progress of animals to be slaughtered.
3. Imports include meat from imports of live finished animals.
4. Trade figures relate to trade in fresh chilled and frozen meat. Trade figures also include salted and brine meat (e.g. ham and bacon). There is significant trade in processed meats, (recorded in Chapter 16 of HMRC trade data) which are not recorded in the trade figures.
5. [x] means data is unavailable.

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Sheep and lambs: mutton and lamb

The value of mutton and lamb production has increased by 13% from 2023, to £1,764 million in 2024, with domestic production making up 99% of consumption. This is the first year since 2016 where domestic consumption was higher than domestic production.

In 2024, the UK sheep sector faced various supply pressures, with clean sheep slaughter down 6.7% from 2023 to 11.9 million head. Home-fed mutton and lamb production has also decreased by 6.5% since 2023 and now stands at 277 thousand tonnes. Disease pressures in Quarter 1 followed by a wet spring, affected lambing conditions and contributed to lower slaughter numbers. While a sufficient level of sheepmeat was available to meet most domestic demand, 2024 saw an increase in imports to support heightened consumer demand and increased consumption rates. Compared to 2023, prices for finished sheep have increased by 20% to 693 pence per kilogram deadweight in 2024. Historically high lamb prices provided valuable financial support to sheep farmers in 2024. However, rising input costs and market volatility continued to exert pressure on on-farm margins for some producers.   

Structural shifts within the sector continued, with the national breeding flock contracting further in 2024. The June 2024 census reported a 3.6% decline in ewes intended for first-time breeding from 2023, bringing the total to 15 million head. This fall is likely attributed to high spring lamb prices, which incentivised ewe lamb sales. However, strong winter breeding sales suggested some producer interest in flock retention. Market dynamics were also shaped by a higher carryover of lambs into 2025, reflecting slower growth and finishing rates in Quarter 4, due to adverse weather conditions. In 2024, the declining trend in overall sheep numbers continued, with the total herd decreasing by 2.5% from 2023 to 31 million head.

From 2023 to 2024, imports of sheepmeat surged by 44% to fill the supply gap, with New Zealand remaining the primary supplier and Australia increasing its shipments. Meanwhile, high UK prices and reduced domestic availability contributed to an 11% decline in export volumes.  

Tables 8.4a to 8.4d - Sheep and lambs: mutton and lamb, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.4a Population (thousand head at June)

Population	2022	2023	2024
Total sheep and lambs	33,174	31,803	31,017
Female breeding flock	15,826	15,438	14,882
Other sheep and lambs	17,348	16,365	16,135

Table 8.4b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Total home-fed marketings (thousand head)	14,436	14,419	13,361
Clean sheep and lambs	12,677	12,701	11,855
Ewes and rams	1,759	1,718	1,506
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Clean sheep	20	20	20
Average dressed carcase weight (kg): Ewes and rams	26	26	27
Home-fed production dressed carcase weight (thousand tonnes)	302	296	277
Value of production (£ million)	1,588	1,559	1,764
Value of home-fed production	1,587	1,580	1,770
Change in work in progress	1	-21	-6
Less imported livestock	0	0	0
Plus breeding animals exported	0	0	0
Subsidies	7	7	7
Value of production at basic prices	1,595	1,566	1,771

Table 8.4c Prices (pence per kg dressed carcase weight)

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Finished sheep, Great Britain	568	578	693

Table 8.4d Supply and use (dressed carcase weight equivalent, thousand tonnes)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
Home-fed production	302	296	277
Imports from the EU	16	13	11
Imports from the rest of the world	52	48	77
Exports to the EU	82	91	81
Exports to the rest of the world	5	5	5
Total new supply	283	261	280
Home-fed production as % of new supply for use in the UK	107	113	99

Notes:

1. Measures of home-fed marketings, dressed carcase weights, production and value include animals raised and slaughtered in the UK, excluding any animals removed from the food chain.
2. Change in work-in-progress is the difference in the valuation of work-in-progress of animals to be slaughtered.
3. Value of production includes subsidies and taxes.
4. Imports include meat from imports of live finished animals.
5. Subsidies comprising Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme.
6. Unweighted average of weekly prices at representative markets.

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Poultry and poultry meat

Home-fed poultry meat production has increased by 2.9% since 2023 to 2,031 thousand tonnes in 2024, driven by production increases for table chicken meat (+3.0%) and turkey and ducks (+5.7%). The year 2024 saw a historic high for annual table chicken production, at 1.9 billion tonnes. The increase in production was offset by a 12% decrease in poultrymeat price to 151 p/kg (deadweight), resulting in the overall value of poultry meat production remaining at a similar level to 2023, at £3,543 million. The decrease in price was largely driven by a stabilisation of key production costs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but prices remained 3.6% above the five-year average.

The total poultry population decreased by 2.1 million from 2023 to 176 million birds in 2024, with UK production of poultry meat making up 83% of total supply. Whilst imports from the EU in 2024 remained relatively consistent with 2023 levels, imports from the rest of the world increased by 44% in volume in 2024 and are now at the highest levels seen since 2005.  The number of confirmed cases of avian influenza (AI) was fewer in 2024 than in previous years. Although cases were particularly high during Quarter 4, this had little impact on the Christmas supply-chain.

Tables 8.5a to 8.5d - Poultry and poultry meat, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.5a Population (thousand head at June)

Population	2022	2023	2024
Total poultry	183,488	178,142	176,085
Table chickens	121,730	116,440	112,374
Laying and breeding fowl	52,463	53,792	54,612
Turkeys, ducks, geese and all other poultry	9,295	7,909	9,099

Table 8.5b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Slaughterings (millions):	1,162	1,171	1,172
Table chickens	1,143	1,158	1,183
Boiling fowls (culled hens)	43	39	38
Turkeys	10	9	9
Ducks & geese	9	9	11
Production (carcase weight thousand tonnes)	1,983	1,974	2,031
Chickens and other table fowls	1,783	1,799	1,852
Boiling fowls (culled hens)	64	59	56
Turkeys	117	96	98
Ducks & geese	20	20	25
Value of production (£ million)	3,168	3,542	3,543
Table chickens	2,642	3,060	2,765
Boiling fowls (culled hens)	6	6	5
Turkeys, ducks, geese	310	310	305
Change in work in progress in fowls	-10	-53	7
Exports of live poultry	179	186	212
Hatching eggs for export	84	80	112
Less live poultry imported	7	6	8
Less hatching eggs imported	30	43	43

Table 8.5c Prices (average producer prices, pence per kg dressed carcase weight)

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Chickens and other table fowls	148	170	149
Boiling fowls (culled hens)	10	10	10
Turkeys	192	228	200
Ducks	409	409	409
Geese	720	770	801

Table 8.5d Supply and use (dressed carcase weight equivalent, thousand tonnes)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
Production	1,983	1,974	2,031
Imports from the EU	588	585	584
Imports from the rest of the world	28	42	60
Exports to the EU	172	135	155
Exports to the rest of the world	74	63	60
Total new supply	2,352	2,404	2,461
Production as % of new supply for use in the UK	84	82	83

Notes:

1. Laying and breeding fowl includes hens and pullets kept mainly for producing eggs for eating.
2. Boiling fowls included with table chickens until 1994.
3. Production excludes offal.
4. Change in work-in-progress is the difference in the valuation of work-in-progress of animals to be slaughtered.
5. Poultry prices not available for 2021 & 2022. Estimated prices used to calculate a value.
6. Trade figures relate to trade in fresh chilled and frozen meat. There is significant trade in processed meats, (recorded in Chapter 16 of HMRC trade data) which are not recorded in the trade figures.

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Milk

Milk produced for human consumption increased by 1.1% from 2023 to 15,128 thousand tonnes in 2024 and the price of milk also increased to 41 pence per litre (+4.4%). This led to a 5.5% increase in the value of milk production to £6,316 million.

The size of the dairy herd remained stable at 1,844 thousand head in 2024, with domestic production making up 105% of consumption.

UK dairy farm margins started 2024 under pressure with a 23% fall in average farmgate milk prices (FGMP) from 49.5 pence per litre in January 2023 to 38.5 pence per litre in January 2024, which outweighed reductions in input costs over that period. With constrained FGMPs and ongoing wet weather during the first half of the year, UK milk production was down year-on-year through the first three quarters of 2024. However, FGMPs did build progressively through that period, supported by strengthening dairy commodity values due to continued constrained supply of dairy products on both UK and wider global markets. 

Milk production eventually began to build at the start of Quarter 4 of 2024, moving above 2023 levels of production as FGMPs continued to increase, weather conditions improved and farm input costs broadly, if marginally, declined. Firm milk production continued into winter 2024-25 with low purchased feed costs enabling farms to compensate for poorer quality silage crops made during the wet 2024 summer. Increased UK production during this period was boosted by particularly strong production in Northern Ireland. 

Trade in dairy commodities remained broadly stable with the UK largely self-sufficient by volume, but with imports of £3.9 billion against exports of £2 billion in the year ending January 2025 leading to an annual trade deficit. This is an established trading pattern, with driving factors including large amounts of raw milk exported from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland, and value-added products such as yoghurt and premium cheeses imported from the EU. 

Tables 8.6a to 8.6d - Milk, 2022 to 2024

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Email: defra.fisu@defra.gov.uk

Table 8.6a Population and yield

Type	2022	2023	2024
Dairy herd (annual average, thousand head)	1,847	1,840	1,844
Average yield per dairy cow (litres per annum)	8,169	8,206	8,278

Table 8.6b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Milk from the dairy herd (million litres)	15,095	15,097	15,269
Milk from the beef herd (million litres)	[x]	[x]	[x]
Raw milk leaving farm	14,864	14,865	15,036
Milk processed on farm	91	92	92
On farm use	139	139	141
Volume for human consumption	14,956	14,957	15,128
Value of production (£ million)	6,665	5,985	6,316
Raw milk leaving farm	6,538	5,872	6,198
Processed milk products from farm	66	58	61
On farm use	61	55	58
Subsidies	[x]	[x]	[x]
Less levies	[x]	[x]	[x]
Value of production at market prices (£ million)	6,665	5,985	6,316

Table 8.6c Prices (average milk producer prices, net of delivery charges (pence per litre))

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Farmgate price excluding bonus payments	44	39	41
Farmgate price including bonus payments	44	39	41

Table 8.6d Supply and use (million litres)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
Production (excludes on farm use from 2015)	14,956	14,957	15,128
Imports	86	86	86
Exports	851	851	851
Total new supply	14,190	14,192	14,363
For liquid consumption	6,003	6,021	6,101
For manufacture	7,897	7,847	7,911
Butter	427	413	399
Cheese	4,828	4,817	4,709
Cream	306	319	324
Yoghurt	424	384	430
Condensed milk	337	349	334
Milk powders	922	960	1,061
Other products	653	605	653
Dairy wastage and stock change	290	324	351
Other uses	132	132	133
Production as a % of new supply	105	105	105

Notes:

1. The dairy herd figure given is the average size of the dairy herd across the whole year, rather than the size at a particular time of year. As a result, figures may differ from those provided in Chapter 2. From 2005 the dairy herd is defined as dairy cows over two years of age with offspring. Until 2004 the dairy herd was defined as cows and heifers in milk plus cows in calf but not in milk, kept mainly for producing milk or rearing calves for the dairy herd.
2. Milk from the beef herd excludes suckled milk. Milk from beef cows is no longer recorded after 2016 as it is no longer considered significant.
3. On farm use is defined as farmhouse consumption and milk fed to livestock.
4. Value of raw milk leaving farm includes milk sold to other businesses (dairies) for processing.
5. Value of milk and milk products includes those processed on farm and sold direct to the consumer.
6. Condensed milk includes condensed milk used in the production of chocolate crumb and in the production of machine skimmed milk.
7. Other uses includes farmhouse consumption, milk fed to stock and on farm waste. Excludes suckled milk.
8. [x] means data is unavailable.

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Hen eggs

Production of eggs for human consumption increased by 4.9% from 2023 to 1,006 thousand tonnes in 2024, while the average price across all production methods increased by 8.7% to 144 pence per dozen. This resulted in a 35% increase in the value of egg production to £,1355 million in 2024.

The size of laying flock increased by 0.79 million from 2023 to 42 million head in 2024, with domestic production making up 89% of consumption.

In 2024, the laying hen sector experienced a strong year, with continued growth in production output because of increased prices for producers giving confidence to the sector. This led to a stable and gradual increase in the supply of eggs for consumers. However, the sector has faced the ongoing challenge of Avian Influenza. 

The overall increase in UK production of eggs for human consumption in 2024 is attributable to a 7.7% increase in production of shell eggs for consumers, which more than offset a 14% decrease in UK produced eggs entering the processing market. The increase in egg production was mainly driven by producer confidence, following an increase in prices for shell eggs of 47% on average across production methods since 2022, and a year-on-year increase of 8.7%. These factors have led to historic highs in total number of eggs produced for human consumption by UK producers (noting that data from 2023 onwards is not directly comparable with previous years due to methodological changes; for details see section 6.1 of Latest UK egg statistics - GOV.UK). 

Throughout 2024, there was a marked reduction in eggs being produced from enriched colony cage units and an increase in those being produced in free-range units, as producers transitioned to meet major retailers’ voluntary pledges to stop selling eggs from caged hens to improve hen welfare. This has been accompanied by a continued increase since 2022 in laying chicks being placed on farm, with a 5.4% year-on-year increase in 2024, as hatcheries and producers capitalise on the improved sector conditions and the retailer drive towards cage-free commitments.  

In 2024, imports reduced by 5.9% from 2023, to levels last seen in 2018. This reduction was mainly in the number of shell eggs imported from the EU, with EU countries also facing challenges from Avian Influenza, alongside a marked increase in UK production in 2024 reducing the need for imported shell eggs. However, there was a small increase in egg products imported from the EU in 2024. Exports remained steady in 2024, with no differences seen in the export market, potentially due to tight supply chains as a result of Avian Influenza. Overall, the UK remained relatively stable in its self-sufficiency of eggs, with UK production meeting 89% of consumption.  

Tables 8.7a to 8.7d – Hen eggs, 2022 to 2024

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Table 8.7a Population (thousands at June)

Population	2022	2023	2024
Number of laying fowl	40,442	41,073	41,863

Table 8.7b Production

Production	2022	2023	2024
Volume of production (million dozen)	1,072	1,094	1,148
Eggs for human consumption	929	956	1,006
Eggs for hatching	124	124	126
Other	18	14	16
Value of production of eggs for human consumption (£ million)	774	1,003	1,355

Table 8.7c Prices (pence per dozen)

Prices	2022	2023	2024
Average packer to producer price	98	133	144

Table 8.7d Supply and use (million dozen)

Supply and use	2022	2023	2024
UK production of eggs for human consumption	929	956	1,006
Eggs sold in shell	828	846	911
Eggs processed	101	111	95
Imports from the EU	127	165	155
Imports from the rest of the world	1	1	1
Exports to the EU	27	30	30
Exports to the rest of the world	1	1	0
Total new supply	1,030	1,092	1,132
Production as % of new supply for use in the UK	90	88	89

Notes:

1. Egg production figures have been revised following the publication of Total Income from Farming 2023. As such, the 2023 egg production and value of production figures quoted in table 8.7 in this dataset and in tables 8.7a-c in Chapter 8 will differ from those in Chapter 4 - Accounts.
2. Other eggs include hatching eggs for export and waste.
3. Eggs for hatching and hatching egg exports are not valued as they are included in the final value for poultry in table 8.4.
4. Average price from 1977-1998 is the weighted average of all graded eggs in the UK. From 1998 onwards, this is the average price paid by packers to producers.
5. Import and export figures include shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg, egg yolk and albumen.

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Revisions

Figures in these tables for 2024 are provisional and may be subject to revision. Revisions to the values of meat production back to 2017 are due to changes in methodology, introducing new weighting to better align fluctuations in price and volume, and revisions to the slaughter back series due to new data becoming available. Revisions have been made to previous data due to on-going revisions caused by estimated survey data being replaced with actual data when it is received; survey respondents supplying amended figures for previous survey periods; changes to data supplied by Scotland and Northern Ireland and amended administrative data; updates to trade data supplied by HMRC; and methodological changes.

Additionally, from 2023 onwards there have been changes to the methodology used to produce estimates for hen eggs. As a result, data from 2023 onwards is not directly comparable with previous years due to methodological changes; for details see section 6.1 of Latest UK egg statistics - GOV.UK).