National statistics

Monthly UK statistics on cattle, sheep and pig slaughter and meat production: March (first published 15 April 2021)

Updated 10 February 2022

Due to the increased strain Covid-19 is having on the Livestock industry, our survey response were lower than usual at 89%. To compensate we have made greater use of the Food Standards Agency throughput data to maintain coverage. This may impact on how within species numbers are split amongst their classifications; such as how sheep numbers are split amongst clean sheep and ewe & rams.

1. Key messages.

• UK prime cattle (steers, heifers and young bulls) slaughterings in March 2021 were down 4.9% on March 2020 at 175,000 head. Beef and veal production was 78,000 tonnes, 5.3% lower than in March 2020.

• UK clean sheep slaughterings were down 1.1% on March 2020 at 916,000 head. Mutton and lamb production was 22,000 tonnes, 0.3% lower than in March 2020.

• UK clean pig slaughterings were 12% higher than in March 2020 at 1060,000 head. Pigmeat production was 98,000 tonnes, 15% higher than in March 2020.

2. Livestock slaughtered

2.1 Monthly numbers of home killed livestock slaughtered

Table 2.1 shows monthly estimates of the number of home killed cattle, sheep and pigs, slaughtered as meat for human consumption in UK abattoirs.

Table 2.1: United Kingdom monthly numbers of livestock slaughtered. (Thousand head)

	Mar 2020	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021	yr on yr
	31 days	31 days	28 days	31 days	% change
Steers	92	84	81	88	-4.1%
Heifers	77	70	68	73	-5.3%
Young Bulls	15	12	11	14	-8.2%
Cows and Adult Bulls	56	56	53	53	-6.4%
Calves	13	3	4	7	-45%
Clean Sheep	926	853	767	916	-1.1%
Ewes and Rams	133	79	87	111	-17%
Clean Pigs	947	863	905	1060	12%
Sows and Boars	21	14	24	27	27%

2.2 Average weekly number of home killed livestock slaughtered

Table 2.2 shows the average weekly slaughter figures for the last four months and the previous year’s current month for comparison. The monthly slaughter figures in section one are affected by the number of days in the survey period. To get a clearer measure of trends weekly averages are calculated using the number of livestock slaughtered and the number of days in each period. Longer term trends can be seen in Figures 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, following this table.

Table 2.2: United Kingdom average weekly numbers of livestock slaughtered (Thousand head)

	Mar 2020	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
Steers	21	19	20	20
Heifers	17	16	17	16
Young Bulls	3	3	3	3
Cows and Adult Bulls	13	13	13	12
Calves	3	1	1	2
Clean Sheep	209	193	192	207
Ewes and Rams	30	18	22	25
Clean Pigs	214	195	226	239
Sows and Boars	5	3	6	6

Figure 2:1 United Kingdom average weekly numbers of cattle slaughtered

Figure 2:2 United Kingdom average weekly numbers of sheep slaughtered

Figure 2:3 United Kingdom average weekly numbers of pigs slaughtered

2.3 Monthly numbers of home killed livestock slaughtered by country

Table 2.3 shows monthly estimates of the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered for meat in England and Wales, Scotland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Table 2.3: United Kingdom monthly numbers of livestock slaughtered by country (Thousand head)

England & Wales	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
	31 days	28 days	31 days
Steers	50	50	56
Heifers	43	44	47
Young Bulls	8	8	10
Cows and Adult Bulls	41	39	40
Calves	3	4	7
Clean Sheep	715	648	788
Ewes and Rams	75	83	106
Clean Pigs	665	731	857
Sows and Boars	14	24	27

Scotland	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
	31 days	28 days	31 days
Steers	20	18	19
Heifers	16	14	14
Young Bulls	1	1	1
Cows and Adult Bulls	6	6	5
Calves	0	0	0
Clean Sheep	105	90	97
Ewes and Rams	1	1	2
Clean Pigs	24	22	33
Sows and Boars	0	0	0

Great Britain	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
	31 days	28 days	31 days
Steers	70	67	75
Heifers	58	57	61
Young Bulls	9	9	12
Cows and Adult Bulls	47	45	45
Calves	3	4	7
Clean Sheep	821	738	885
Ewes and Rams	76	85	108
Clean Pigs	690	753	890
Sows and Boars	14	24	27

Northern Ireland	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
	31 days	28 days	31 days
Steers	15	14	14
Heifers	12	11	12
Young Bulls	3	2	2
Cows and Adult Bulls	9	8	8
Calves	1	0	0
Clean Sheep	32	29	31
Ewes and Rams	3	3	3
Clean Pigs	173	152	170
Sows and Boars	0	0	0

3. Average dressed carcase weights

3.1 Monthly average dressed carcase weights for cattle, sheep, and pigs

Table 3.1 shows the monthly average dressed carcase weight (DCW) of livestock slaughtered for meat for human consumption in the United Kingdom.

Table 3.1 United Kingdom average dressed carcase weights (Kilogrammes)

	Dec 2020	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021
Steers	360.6	364.4	365.5	365.5
Heifers	327.7	330.7	330.8	328.3
Young Bulls	342.2	344.0	344.4	343.4
Cows and Adult Bulls	313.7	320.2	319.9	318.3
Calves	84.6	103.8	91.4	75.2
Clean Sheep	19.5	20.0	20.3	21.0
Ewes and Rams	27.4	27.7	27.4	25.7
Clean Pigs	88.3	90.6	90.0	88.6
Sows and Boars	144.1	148.3	145.9	146.3

4. Home killed meat production

4.1 Monthly volumes of home killed meat production

Table 4.1 shows the monthly volumes of meat produced in UK abattoirs.

Table 4.1: United Kingdom monthly volumes of meat production (Thousand tonnes)

	Mar 2020	Jan 2021	Feb 2021	Mar 2021	yr on yr % change
	31 days	31 days	28 days	31 days
Beef	83	76	73	78	-5.3%
Mutton and Lamb	22	19	18	22	-0.3%
Pigmeat	85	80	85	98	15%

5. About these statistics

5.1. Methodology

Defra runs a monthly survey of registered England and Wales slaughterhouses. It is a statutory survey (approximately 85) that collects information on livestock slaughter numbers and weight of meat produced. All major slaughterhouses participate in the survey and the response rate is typically 100%. Similar surveys are run by RERAD in Scotland and by DAERA in Northern Ireland. Scottish statistics on livestock slaughterings are available in [the Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture at the Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture webpage from Scottish government (Tables A5 and A6). This website also contains contact details and more information. Northern Ireland results are available at the Northern Ireland cattle sheep slaughterings webpage and Northern Ireland pig slaughterings webpage.

The England and Wales slaughter survey accounts for around 90% of the E&W slaughterhouse throughput for each livestock type. These data are supplemented by administrative data from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for smaller slaughterhouses to give complete monthly coverage of livestock slaughterings.

Information on the weight of meat produced from a sample of animals weighed at slaughterhouses is obtained from survey respondents, around 55 slaughterhouse respondents. From the information provided average dressed carcase weights for each animal type are primarily calculated by adding up the total weight of the meat produced and dividing by the number of animals weighed. Cold dressed carcase weights are recorded.

The volume of meat production is estimated from the number of all livestock slaughtered and average dressed carcase weight information collected. This total ‘Home killed’ production includes livestock imported into the United Kingdom for slaughter.

The data are subject to a variety of validation checks which identify inconsistencies in the data. All data are cleaned prior to publication in discussion with the survey respondents.

With effect from February 2016 the statistics published in this notice are based on calendar rather than statistical months. This change simplifies our survey processes and brings our slaughter survey in line with our milk surveys which are already run on a calendar month basis; it also removes the need for the 53 week year (which would have to be 2016). Since the end of weekly slaughter survey several years ago, there is no legislative requirement for weekly data, so since then we have derived the average weekly throughput from the monthly survey data.

The January 2016 data will include the last week of December 2015 and therefore be classed as a 5 week month. From 1st February 2016 onwards the statistics are based on calendar months.

We have carried out a review of the methodology for calculating the dressed carcase weights in order to align with UK specifications. Some slaughterhouses provide Cattle Dressed Carcase Weights (DCW) including Kidney Knob and Channel Fat (KKCF); some slaughterhouses provide pig weights at EC specification. From September 2019 cattle DCWs are calculated to UK specification which excludes KKCF; Pigs are dressed to UK specification.

To calculate the DCW of animals by category:

• If the slaughterhouse includes KKCF in the total weight, a deduction of 3.9% occurs. This aligns to the UK DCW specification.

• Link to beef carcase classification scheme webpage

• If pigs are dressed to EC specification then an increase of 1.6% to the DCW occurs to align with UK specification.
• Link to pig carcase grade scheme webpage

Some slaughterhouses specialise for niche markets. These slaughterhouses are treated separately so their DCW are not used to raise the data for those slaughterhouses who do not provide DCW data.

Data have been revised to January 2018 using the new methodology. If you have any questions or comments we are happy to discuss. Please contact us at livestock.statistics@defra.gov.uk

5.2 Revisions policy

Figures in this notice are provisional and subject to revision. We will provide information about any revisions we make to previously published information in this statistics notice and the associated datasets. Revisions could occur for various reasons, including:

• if we have not received survey data from respondents we make an estimate based on their previous returns. These estimates will be replaced with actual survey data when it is received.

• survey respondents occasionally supply amended figures for previous periods.

• if we have not received administrative data for the smaller slaughterhouses we make an estimate based on previous data received. These estimates will be replaced with actual data when it is received

5.3 Data users

The livestock industry is a major user of the data, including divisions of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). AHDB Pork (formally known as BPEX, representing the English pig industry) and AHDB Beef and Lamb (formerly EBLEX, representing the English beef and sheep industry). Industry users rely heavily on the numbers of slaughterings and meat production to assess the current state of the industry and predict the available supplies of meat for the coming year. This, in turn, can affect meat prices and trade decisions on levels of imports and exports to maintain supply. Users have always been very keen for the slaughtering statistics to be produced as quickly as possible so that the data is still relevant. For this reason, we collect and publish these statistics to a very tight timetable, publishing within three weeks of the survey date. The “Market Intelligence” and “Market Outlook” Reports on the AHDB Beef and Lamb website refer consistently to our statistics at the AHDB Beef and lamb webpage The AHDB Pork site provides more in-depth analysis of pigmeat production statistics at the AHDB pigmeat production webpage.

6. Definitions

• Steers (or Bullocks): Castrated males over 1 year old, raised for beef.

• Heifers: Female animals that have not calved. Over 1 year old, raised for beef.

• Young bulls: Non-castrated young males, raised for beef, generally slaughtered around 13 months old.

• Prime cattle: All those raised specifically for beef production. Total of Steers + Heifers + Young Bulls.

• Breeding bulls: Older cull males, previously used for breeding

• Cows: Older cull females, previously used for breeding

• Calves: All bovine animals aged 1 year old or younger. Prior to May 2014, the definition was “animals weighing less than 165kg”.

7. National Statistics status

National Statistics are produced to high professional standards. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference.

The continued designation of these statistics as National Statistics was confirmed in 2014 following a compliance check by the UK Statistics Authority (now the Office for Statistics Regulation) against the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Since the last review of these statistics in 2014, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics, and have made improvements including: - Providing a detailed breakdown of livestock categories following user feedback - Improved the data quality by updating guidance for data providers and carrying out enhanced validation checks on data received

For general enquiries about National Statistics, contact the National Statistics Public Enquiry Service:

Tel: 0845 601 3034 Email: info@statistics.gov.uk.

You can find National Statistics on the internet at the UK government statistics webpage.

8. Future publications

This notice will be updated at 09:30 on Thursday 13th May 2021. Additional time series which include weekly slaughter averages, production and trade data can be found at the the UK government livestock statistics web page.

Enquiries to: Livestock statistics team, Tel: +44 (0) 208 026 6306

Email: julie.rumsey@defra.gov.uk

Defra, Rm 201,
Foss House,
Kings Pool,
1-2 Peasholme Green,
York,
YO1 7PX