Agriculture Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2016

Introduction - Crops & Livestock

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This chapter contains information on crops and livestock numbers in Ireland for the period 1855 to 2015. The statistics are drawn from CSO surveys and administrative data from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Livestock Slaughterings provides details on the number of cattle, sheep and pigs slaughtered. These figures include slaughterings at both 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.

Area under crops and pasture in June

21.1 Area under crops and pasture in June

Hectares (thousands)
Crop	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Total wheat	110.7	84.5	77.8	94.2	98.0	60.6	71.6	65.3
Winter	87.5	64.3	59.8	77.7	84.6	45.4	65.1	55.3
Spring	23.2	20.2	18.0	16.4	13.5	15.2	6.5	10.1

Total oats	22.9	20.4	19.7	21.4	23.7	26.7	18.6	23.4
Winter	18.7	9.1	10.3	9.0	9.9	5.4	10.1	11.4
Spring	4.2	11.3	9.4	12.4	13.8	21.3	8.5	12.1

Total barley	187.2	193.6	174.8	180.6	192.8	219.4	215.7	202.8
Winter	21.1	19.3	28.8	35.9	41.0	36.0	60.1	69.8
Spring	166.0	174.3	146.0	144.8	151.8	183.5	155.6	133.0

Other cereals	1.3	1.3	1.6	1.2	0.9	1.1	0.8	0.9

Total cereals	322.0	299.8	273.9	297.4	315.4	307.8	306.7	292.4

Beans and peas	2.5	4.2	4.6	2.9	4.1	4.5	3.5	10.7
Oilseed rape	5.6	6.3	8.0	12.4	17.5	13.7	9.4	8.9
Arable silage	3.7	3.8	4.1	2.9	2.4	3.9	3.5	3.5
Maize silage	24.5	24.7	22.8	19.0	13.7	14.5	13.9	12.9
Potatoes	11.2	12.2	12.2	10.4	9.0	10.7	9.5	8.5
Turnips	1.0	1.1	1.2	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.9	1.1
Beet	9.2	10.8	9.6	8.2	7.8	10.1	10.3	9.6
Fodder rape and kale	0.9	1.5	1.8	1.3	1.7	1.4	1.2	1.7
Vegetables for sale	3.7	4.4	4.9	3.8	3.6	3.5	3.4	3.2
Fruit	0.4	0.4	1.2	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9
Nursery stock, bulbs and flowers	0.3	0.2	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.5
Other crops	0.0	0.0	9.4	4.9	4.5	4.7	4.0	5.8

Total crops, fruit and horticulture	385.0	369.4	353.9	365.4	382.1	377.2	367.7	359.7

Silage	1,161.5	1,153.1	1,076.4	1,070.2	1,075.0	1,071.0	1,077.6	1,071.1
Hay	267.2	245.7	193.8	213.2	203.5	218.4	217.9	195.7
Pasture	2,314.9	2,333.7	2,507.6	2,459.3	2,391.0	2,337.7	2,308.4	2,299.4

Crops and pasture	4,128.6	4,101.9	4,131.7	4,108.2	4,051.5	4,004.3	3,971.5	3,926.0

Rough grazing in use	500.4	492.1	437.3	447.3	481.2	473.5	494.2	503.6

Area farmed	4,629.0	4,593.9	4,568.9	4,555.5	4,532.7	4,477.8	4,465.8	4,429.5
Source: CSO and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Open in Excel: 21.1 Area under crops and pasture in June (XLS 35KB)

Interactive table: StatBank link

The total area farmed in 2015 was 4.4 million hectares. Crops, fruit and horticulture accounted for 8% of that area, silage for 24%, hay for 4%, pasture for 52% and rough grazing for 11%.

Area under selected crops 1855-2015

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	Wheat	Oats	Barley	Potatoes
1855	155	612	89	309
1856	181	588	71	345
1857	192	565	81	359
1858	185	561	74	360
1859	157	568	69	374
1860	157	560	71	361
1861	133	574	78	349
1862	118	565	76	311
1863	87	566	69	315
1864	96	526	70	322
1865	93	496	72	330
1866	102	488	61	323
1867	88	475	69	308
1868	93	486	75	320
1869	87	481	90	320
1870	80	461	97	319
1871	74	458	89	322
1872	66	451	88	301
1873	50	415	92	272
1874	57	403	85	270
1875	47	408	93	272
1876	35	407	88	266
1877	42	403	90	262
1878	48	380	97	254
1879	48	356	101	252
1880	45	378	87	247
1881	47	383	83	257
1882	46	385	74	252
1883	27	381	73	242
1884	19	371	67	240
1885	20	363	71	239
1886	19	365	72	239
1887	18	362	65	238
1888	29	348	68	239
1889	28	335	74	235
1890	28	329	73	232
1891	24	328	71	222
1892	22	330	70	218
1893	16	336	67	212
1894	14	340	66	211
1895	10	329	69	208
1896	11	318	69	206
1897	13	313	68	199
1898	15	313	63	195
1899	15	301	67	194
1900	15	293	69	191
1901	13	293	64	186
1902	13	287	67	183
1903	11	293	63	181
1904	9	287	63	179
1905	11	283	62	177
1906	13	287	70	178
1907	12	290	67	172
1908	12	286	61	169
1909	14	276	64	167
1910	15	289	67	173
1911	15	284	63	172
1912	15	281	66	170
1913	11	284	68	168
1914	12	281	68	167
1915	29	299	57	172
1916	26	294	60	172
1917	43	420	71	210
1918	55	457	74	205
1919	24	410	74	172
1920	18	366	82	170
1921	16	332	68	166
1922	15	311	66	165
1923	15	295	59	161
1924	13	279	63	159
1925	9	272	59	154
1926	12	262	57	152
1927	14	261	49	148
1928	13	262	52	147
1929	12	270	48	147
1930	11	261	47	140
1931	8	252	47	140
1932	9	256	42	141
1933	20	257	48	138
1934	38	236	58	139
1935	66	249	56	136
1936	103	226	53	135
1937	89	232	53	132
1938	93	231	48	132
1939	103	217	30	128
1940	124	276	54	148
1941	187	317	66	173
1942	233	355	75	172
1943	206	379	85	165
1944	260	383	68	167
1945	268	338	69	157
1946	260	336	58	158
1947	235	334	59	155
1948	210	356	48	156
1949	147	278	64	142
1950	148	249	50	136
1951	114	251	68	130
1952	103	247	91	125
1953	143	231	76	125
1954	197	216	66	118
1955	145	221	86	116
1956	137	212	96	115
1957	164	186	124	108
1958	170	185	125	106
1959	114	187	135	105
1960	148	172	133	95
1961	140	149	146	86
1962	127	140	164	85
1963	94	134	174	83
1964	87	117	184	74
1965	74	115	188	71
1966	53	98	187	68
1967	76	96	183	65
1968	90	88	184	59
1969	82	77	198	55
1970	95	68	214	57
1971	91	60	235	52
1972	68	52	252	44
1973	58	50	243	48
1974	57	47	246	42
1975	45	49	245	41
1976	50	40	259	47
1977	48	35	298	53
1978	50	31	325	41
1979	50	28	350	41
1980	53	25	366	42
1981	49	23	354	36
1982	57	23	326	37
1983	59	23	305	33
1984	77	26	292	35
1985	78	25	284	32
1986	75	23	265	30
1987	56	23	255	29
1988	59	23	242	27
1989	61	22	237	25
1990	70	22	207	24
1991	86	21	193	20
1992	91	20	184	22
1993	79	20	181	22
1994	74	21	170	21
1995	71	20	179	22
1996	86	21	181	24
1997	94	21	190	18
1998	84	19	191	19
1999	68	20	192	18
2000	78	17	182	14
2001	85	17	182	14
2002	103	19	176	15
2003	96	21	183	14
2004	103	20	184	13
2005	95	17	164	12
2006	88	20	167	12
2007	84	21	168	12
2008	111	23	187	11
2009	85	20	194	12
2010	78	20	175	12
2011	94	21	181	10
2012	98	24	193	9
2013	61	27	219	11
2014	72	19	216	10
2015	65	23	203	9

21.2 Area under selected crops 1855-2015

21.2 Area under selected crops 1855 - 2015

Hectares (thousands)
Year	Wheat	Oats	Barley	Potatoes
1855	155	612	89	309
1856	181	588	71	345
1857	192	565	81	359
1858	185	561	74	360
1859	157	568	69	374
1860	157	560	71	361
1861	133	574	78	349
1862	118	565	76	311
1863	87	566	69	315
1864	96	526	70	322
1865	93	496	72	330
1866	102	488	61	323
1867	88	475	69	308
1868	93	486	75	320
1869	87	481	90	320
1870	80	461	97	319
1871	74	458	89	322
1872	66	451	88	301
1873	50	415	92	272
1874	57	403	85	270
1875	47	408	93	272
1876	35	407	88	266
1877	42	403	90	262
1878	48	380	97	254
1879	48	356	101	252
1880	45	378	87	247
1881	47	383	83	257
1882	46	385	74	252
1883	27	381	73	242
1884	19	371	67	240
1885	20	363	71	239
1886	19	365	72	239
1887	18	362	65	238
1888	29	348	68	239
1889	28	335	74	235
1890	28	329	73	232
1891	24	328	71	222
1892	22	330	70	218
1893	16	336	67	212
1894	14	340	66	211
1895	10	329	69	208
1896	11	318	69	206
1897	13	313	68	199
1898	15	313	63	195
1899	15	301	67	194
1900	15	293	69	191
1901	13	293	64	186
1902	13	287	67	183
1903	11	293	63	181
1904	9	287	63	179
1905	11	283	62	177
1906	13	287	70	178
1907	12	290	67	172
1908	12	286	61	169
1909	14	276	64	167
1910	15	289	67	173
1911	15	284	63	172
1912	15	281	66	170
1913	11	284	68	168
1914	12	281	68	167
1915	29	299	57	172
1916	26	294	60	172
1917	43	420	71	210
1918	55	457	74	205
1919	24	410	74	172
1920	18	366	82	170
1921	16	332	68	166
1922	15	311	66	165
1923	15	295	59	161
1924	13	279	63	159
1925	9	272	59	154
1926	12	262	57	152
1927	14	261	49	148
1928	13	262	52	147
1929	12	270	48	147
1930	11	261	47	140
1931	8	252	47	140
1932	9	256	42	141
1933	20	257	48	138
1934	38	236	58	139
1935	66	249	56	136
1936	103	226	53	135
1937	89	232	53	132
1938	93	231	48	132
1939	103	217	30	128
1940	124	276	54	148
1941	187	317	66	173
1942	233	355	75	172
1943	206	379	85	165
1944	260	383	68	167
1945	268	338	69	157
1946	260	336	58	158
1947	235	334	59	155
1948	210	356	48	156
1949	147	278	64	142
1950	148	249	50	136
1951	114	251	68	130
1952	103	247	91	125
1953	143	231	76	125
1954	197	216	66	118
1955	145	221	86	116
1956	137	212	96	115
1957	164	186	124	108
1958	170	185	125	106
1959	114	187	135	105
1960	148	172	133	95
1961	140	149	146	86
1962	127	140	164	85
1963	94	134	174	83
1964	87	117	184	74
1965	74	115	188	71
1966	53	98	187	68
1967	76	96	183	65
1968	90	88	184	59
1969	82	77	198	55
1970	95	68	214	57
1971	91	60	235	52
1972	68	52	252	44
1973	58	50	243	48
1974	57	47	246	42
1975	45	49	245	41
1976	50	40	259	47
1977	48	35	298	53
1978	50	31	325	41
1979	50	28	350	41
1980	53	25	366	42
1981	49	23	354	36
1982	57	23	326	37
1983	59	23	305	33
1984	77	26	292	35
1985	78	25	284	32
1986	75	23	265	30
1987	56	23	255	29
1988	59	23	242	27
1989	61	22	237	25
1990	70	22	207	24
1991	86	21	193	20
1992	91	20	184	22
1993	79	20	181	22
1994	74	21	170	21
1995	71	20	179	22
1996	86	21	181	24
1997	94	21	190	18
1998	84	19	191	19
1999	68	20	192	18
2000	78	17	182	14
2001	85	17	182	14
2002	103	19	176	15
2003	96	21	183	14
2004	103	20	184	13
2005	95	17	164	12
2006	88	20	167	12
2007	84	21	168	12
2008 ¹	111	23	187	11
2009	85	20	194	12
2010	78	20	175	12
2011	94	21	181	10
2012	98	24	193	9
2013	61	27	219	11
2014	72	19	216	10
2015	65	23	203	9
¹ New series from 2008
Source: CSO and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Open in Excel: 21.2 Area under selected crops 1855-2015 (XLS 16KB)

Interactive tables: StatBank link

The combined area under cereals (wheat, oats and barley) in 2015 was 291,000 hectares compared to 856,000 hectares in 1855. In 1855, oats accounted for 71% of the area of cereals grown. However, by 2015 this had fallen to just under 8% and instead, barley made up 70% of the area under cereals.

The area under potatoes in 2015 was only 9,000 hectares compared to 309,000 hectares in 1855. During the period 1855 and 2015, the area of potatoes sown peaked in 1859 at 374,000 hectares.

Number of livestock in June

21.3 Number of livestock in June
Thousands
Description	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Cattle
Bulls	57.5	55.2	52.0	41.8	36.1	41.4	40.8	36.5

Dairy cows	1,095.2	1,096.7	1,070.8	1,116.9	1,140.8	1,163.2	1,226.4	1,295.8
Other cows	1,220.1	1,203.7	1,158.4	1,123.3	1,148.6	1,150.3	1,129.0	1,075.8

Cattle male: 2 years and over	475.8	501.2	506.2	425.5	360.6	388.2	455.9	423.8
Cattle female: 2 years and over	390.3	409.3	426.2	411.9	372.0	380.1	428.4	384.4

Cattle male: 1-2 years	832.2	851.4	760.3	673.4	770.2	872.7	820.5	789.6
Cattle female: 1-2 years	871.7	884.2	871.5	854.7	889.8	938.3	946.7	915.5

Cattle male: under 1 year	969.4	918.2	826.7	891.9	1,023.2	959.2	901.6	994.4
Cattle female: under 1 year	989.9	970.8	934.6	953.6	1,012.8	1,009.3	976.8	1,047.8

Total cattle male	2,334.8	2,326.0	2,145.1	2,032.7	2,190.1	2,261.5	2,218.8	2,244.2
Total cattle female	4,567.2	4,564.7	4,461.5	4,460.3	4,564.1	4,641.1	4,707.3	4,719.3

Total cattle	6,902.1	6,890.7	6,606.6	6,493.0	6,754.1	6,902.6	6,926.1	6,963.5

Sheep
Rams	81.8	73.9	80.0	73.7	77.7	80.4	77.5	75.8

Ewes	2,614.1	2,451.0	2,449.5	2,435.2	2,589.3	2,568.2	2,513.9	2,488.1
2 years and over	2,219.5	2,060.1	1,964.8	1,939.1	2,027.9	2,028.7	2,060.3	2,033.1
under 2 years	394.6	390.9	484.8	496.1	561.4	539.5	453.6	454.9

Other sheep	2,365.4	2,253.1	2,215.9	2,321.0	2,503.0	2,358.4	2,505.4	2,574.9
Total sheep	5,061.4	4,778.0	4,745.4	4,830.0	5,170.0	5,007.0	5,096.8	5,138.7

Pigs
Boars	1.7	1.6	1.7	1.3	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.4

Female breeding pigs	155.7	147.4	159.7	154.9	144.6	146.5	150.3	147.8

Other pigs classified by liveweight	1,304.6	1,236.2	1,354.9	1,392.8	1,425.0	1,404.6	1,403.6	1,387.6
20 kg and over	915.9	864.9	961.5	972.0	980.7	955.8	962.6	941.7
under 20 kg	388.7	371.3	393.4	420.8	444.3	448.8	441.0	445.9
Total pigs	1,462.0	1,385.2	1,516.3	1,549.0	1,570.9	1,552.5	1,555.3	1,536.9

Horses and ponies	95.7	98.1	106.0	106.0	111.1	101.6	95.0	93.1

Mules, jennets and asses	8.8	8.8	7.5	8.7	9.8	8.2	8.1	8.9

Goats	8.9	10.1	10.5	11.4	10.3	8.7	12.2	15.6
Source: CSO and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Open in Excel: 21.3 Number of livestock in June (XLS 35KB)

Interactive table: StatBank link

In June 2015 there were 6.96 million cattle, 5.14 million sheep and 1.54 million pigs.

Number of cattle, sheep and pigs 1855-2015

Open in Excel:

	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs
1855	2.847	3.393	0.994
1856	2.868	3.477	0.759
1857	2.902	3.24	1.029
1858	2.955	3.297	1.207
1859	3.062	3.391	1.034
1860	2.898	3.35	1.049
1861	2.803	3.358	0.932
1862	2.617	3.27	0.954
1863	2.539	3.138	0.913
1864	2.636	3.181	0.896
1865	2.834	3.489	1.097
1866	3.022	4.029	1.236
1867	2.996	4.546	1.05
1868	2.953	4.58	0.751
1869	3.031	4.35	0.922
1870	3.081	4.065	1.221
1871	3.199	3.948	1.325
1872	3.268	3.964	1.16
1873	3.361	4.18	0.891
1874	3.348	4.172	0.916
1875	3.346	3.988	1.029
1876	3.342	3.765	1.165
1877	3.238	3.739	1.221
1878	3.271	3.847	1.068
1879	3.338	3.779	0.892
1880	3.212	3.341	0.728
1881	3.268	3.051	0.924
1882	3.283	2.88	1.17
1883	3.367	3.016	1.139
1884	3.384	3.059	1.071
1885	3.467	3.261	1.036
1886	3.423	3.132	1.033
1887	3.412	3.117	1.146
1888	3.347	3.35	1.111
1889	3.37	3.478	1.136
1890	3.501	3.955	1.286
1891	3.66	4.295	1.108
1892	3.716	4.396	0.905
1893	3.671	4.033	0.936
1894	3.617	3.741	1.116
1895	3.575	3.563	1.093
1896	3.623	3.717	1.125
1897	3.662	3.796	1.064
1898	3.691	3.911	1.031
1899	3.718	3.983	1.129
1900	3.804	3.98	1.045
1901	3.868	3.981	1.015
1902	3.942	3.821	1.1
1903	3.861	3.568	1.154
1904	3.866	3.468	1.096
1905	3.841	3.394	0.945
1906	3.836	3.352	1.001
1907	3.889	3.425	1.085
1908	4.02	3.703	1.046
1909	3.942	3.729	0.954
1910	3.934	3.6	0.99
1911	3.95	3.543	1.16
1912	4.049	3.466	1.1
1913	4.134	3.273	0.895
1914	4.237	3.234	1.083
1915	4.06	3.207	1.008
1916	4.167	3.355	1.089
1917	4.132	3.327	0.844
1918	4.093	3.218	0.859
1919	4.232	3.045	0.863
1920	4.261	3.016	0.887
1921	4.419	3.02	0.891
1922	4.375	2.794	0.938
1923	4.278	2.666	1.186
1924	4.268	2.726	0.987
1925	3.991	2.813	0.732
1926	3.947	3.003	0.884
1927	4.047	3.12	1.178
1928	4.125	3.263	1.183
1929	4.137	3.375	0.945
1930	4.038	3.515	1.052
1931	4.029	3.575	1.227
1932	4.025	3.461	1.108
1933	4.137	3.405	0.931
1934	4.086	2.931	0.968
1935	4.019	3.042	1.088
1936	4.014	3.062	1.017
1937	3.955	3	0.934
1938	4.056	3.197	0.959
1939	4.057	3.048	0.931
1940	4.023	3.071	1.049
1941	4.15	2.909	0.764
1942	4.084	2.693	0.519
1943	4.136	2.56	0.434
1944	4.246	2.663	0.381
1945	4.211	2.581	0.426
1946	4.146	2.423	0.479
1947	3.95	2.094	0.457
1948	3.921	2.058	0.457
1949	4.127	2.192	0.675
1950	4.322	2.385	0.645
1951	4.376	2.616	0.558
1952	4.309	2.857	0.719
1953	4.397	2.93	0.882
1954	4.504	3.113	0.958
1955	4.483	3.269	0.799
1956	4.537	3.439	0.747
1957	4.417	3.72	0.9
1958	4.466	4.174	0.948
1959	4.684	4.412	0.852
1960	4.741	4.314	0.951
1961	4.713	4.528	1.056
1962	4.742	4.671	1.111
1963	4.86	4.691	1.102
1964	4.962	4.95	1.108
1965	5.359	5.014	1.266
1966	5.59	4.664	1.013
1967	5.586	4.239	0.985
1968	5.572	4.077	1.063
1969	5.688	4.006	1.116
1970	5.956	4.082	1.192
1971	6.177	4.163	1.322
1972	6.527	4.208	1.199
1973	7.113	4.184	1.108
1974	7.413	3.962	0.923
1975	7.168	3.683	0.796
1976	6.954	3.475	0.925
1977	7.124	3.534	0.939
1978	7.098	3.427	1.031
1979	7.093	3.392	1.103
1980	6.909	3.292	1.03
1981	6.744	3.402	1.021
1982	6.728	3.571	1.057
1983	6.81	3.868	1.081
1984	6.806	4.074	1.036
1985	6.819	4.487	1.004
1986	6.616	5.012	1.003
1987	6.545	5.595	0.999
1988	6.464	6.656	1.014
1989	6.642	7.625	1.067
1990	6.816	8.539	1.194
1991	6.912	8.888	1.304
1992	6.951	8.898	1.386
1993	6.982	8.627	1.522
1994	6.996	8.404	1.53
1995	7.034	8.331	1.55
1996	7.314	7.888	1.621
1997	7.533	8.132	1.7
1998	7.64	8.312	1.819
1999	7.387	7.925	1.787
2000	7.037	7.555	1.722
2001	7.05	7.33	1.743
2002	6.992	7.21	1.785
2003	7	6.849	1.726
2004	7.016	6.777	1.653
2005 1	6.992	6.392	1.688
2006	6.978	5.973	1.643
2007	6.891	5.522	1.588
2008	6.902	5.061	1.462
2009	6.891	4.778	1.385
2010	6.607	4.745	1.516
2011	6.493	4.83	1.549
2012	6.754	5.17	1.571
2013	6.903	5.007	1.553
2014	6.926	5.097	1.555
2015	6.964	5.139	1.537

21.4 Number of cattle, sheep and pigs 1855-2015

21.4 Number of Cattle, Sheep and Pigs 1855 - 2015
Thousands
Year	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs
1855	2,847	3,393	994
1856	2,868	3,477	759
1857	2,902	3,240	1,029
1858	2,955	3,297	1,207
1859	3,062	3,391	1,034
1860	2,898	3,350	1,049
1861	2,803	3,358	932
1862	2,617	3,270	954
1863	2,539	3,138	913
1864	2,636	3,181	896
1865	2,834	3,489	1,097
1866	3,022	4,029	1,236
1867	2,996	4,546	1,050
1868	2,953	4,580	751
1869	3,031	4,350	922
1870	3,081	4,065	1,221
1871	3,199	3,948	1,325
1872	3,268	3,964	1,160
1873	3,361	4,180	891
1874	3,348	4,172	916
1875	3,346	3,988	1,029
1876	3,342	3,765	1,165
1877	3,238	3,739	1,221
1878	3,271	3,847	1,068
1879	3,338	3,779	892
1880	3,212	3,341	728
1881	3,268	3,051	924
1882	3,283	2,880	1,170
1883	3,367	3,016	1,139
1884	3,384	3,059	1,071
1885	3,467	3,261	1,036
1886	3,423	3,132	1,033
1887	3,412	3,117	1,146
1888	3,347	3,350	1,111
1889	3,370	3,478	1,136
1890	3,501	3,955	1,286
1891	3,660	4,295	1,108
1892	3,716	4,396	905
1893	3,671	4,033	936
1894	3,617	3,741	1,116
1895	3,575	3,563	1,093
1896	3,623	3,717	1,125
1897	3,662	3,796	1,064
1898	3,691	3,911	1,031
1899	3,718	3,983	1,129
1900	3,804	3,980	1,045
1901	3,868	3,981	1,015
1902	3,942	3,821	1,100
1903	3,861	3,568	1,154
1904	3,866	3,468	1,096
1905	3,841	3,394	945
1906	3,836	3,352	1,001
1907	3,889	3,425	1,085
1908	4,020	3,703	1,046
1909	3,942	3,729	954
1910	3,934	3,600	990
1911	3,950	3,543	1,160
1912	4,049	3,466	1,100
1913	4,134	3,273	895
1914	4,237	3,234	1,083
1915	4,060	3,207	1,008
1916	4,167	3,355	1,089
1917	4,132	3,327	844
1918	4,093	3,218	859
1919	4,232	3,045	863
1920	4,261	3,016	887
1921	4,419	3,020	891
1922	4,375	2,794	938
1923	4,278	2,666	1,186
1924	4,268	2,726	987
1925	3,991	2,813	732
1926	3,947	3,003	884
1927	4,047	3,120	1,178
1928	4,125	3,263	1,183
1929	4,137	3,375	945
1930	4,038	3,515	1,052
1931	4,029	3,575	1,227
1932	4,025	3,461	1,108
1933	4,137	3,405	931
1934	4,086	2,931	968
1935	4,019	3,042	1,088
1936	4,014	3,062	1,017
1937	3,955	3,000	934
1938	4,056	3,197	959
1939	4,057	3,048	931
1940	4,023	3,071	1,049
1941	4,150	2,909	764
1942	4,084	2,693	519
1943	4,136	2,560	434
1944	4,246	2,663	381
1945	4,211	2,581	426
1946	4,146	2,423	479
1947	3,950	2,094	457
1948	3,921	2,058	457
1949	4,127	2,192	675
1950	4,322	2,385	645
1951	4,376	2,616	558
1952	4,309	2,857	719
1953	4,397	2,930	882
1954	4,504	3,113	958
1955	4,483	3,269	799
1956	4,537	3,439	747
1957	4,417	3,720	900
1958	4,466	4,174	948
1959	4,684	4,412	852
1960	4,741	4,314	951
1961	4,713	4,528	1,056
1962	4,742	4,671	1,111
1963	4,860	4,691	1,102
1964	4,962	4,950	1,108
1965	5,359	5,014	1,266
1966	5,590	4,664	1,013
1967	5,586	4,239	985
1968	5,572	4,077	1,063
1969	5,688	4,006	1,116
1970	5,956	4,082	1,192
1971	6,177	4,163	1,322
1972	6,527	4,208	1,199
1973	7,113	4,184	1,108
1974	7,413	3,962	923
1975	7,168	3,683	796
1976	6,954	3,475	925
1977	7,124	3,534	939
1978	7,098	3,427	1,031
1979	7,093	3,392	1,103
1980	6,909	3,292	1,030
1981	6,744	3,402	1,021
1982	6,728	3,571	1,057
1983	6,810	3,868	1,081
1984	6,806	4,074	1,036
1985	6,819	4,487	1,004
1986	6,616	5,012	1,003
1987	6,545	5,595	999
1988	6,464	6,656	1,014
1989	6,642	7,625	1,067
1990	6,816	8,539	1,194
1991	6,912	8,888	1,304
1992	6,951	8,898	1,386
1993	6,982	8,627	1,522
1994	6,996	8,404	1,530
1995	7,034	8,331	1,550
1996	7,314	7,888	1,621
1997	7,533	8,132	1,700
1998	7,640	8,312	1,819
1999	7,387	7,925	1,787
2000	7,037	7,555	1,722
2001	7,050	7,330	1,743
2002	6,992	7,210	1,785
2003	7,000	6,849	1,726
2004	7,016	6,777	1,653
2005 ¹	6,992	6,392	1,688
2006	6,978	5,973	1,643
2007	6,891	5,522	1,588
2008	6,902	5,061	1,462
2009	6,891	4,778	1,385
2010	6,607	4,745	1,516
2011	6,493	4,830	1,549
2012	6,754	5,170	1,571
2013	6,903	5,007	1,553
2014	6,926	5,097	1,555
2015	6,964	5,139	1,537
¹ New series for cattle from 2005
Source: CSO and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Open in Excel: 21.4 Number of cattle, sheep and pigs 1855-2015 (XLS 16KB)

Interactive table: StatBank link

Since 1855 cattle numbers have increased consistently, peaking at 7.64 million in 1998. The total number of cattle showed a gradual decline in the years between 1998 and 2011 (6.49 million). Cattle numbers in 2015 stand at 6.96 million.

The number of sheep in Ireland peaked at 8.89 million in 1992 and since then numbers have fallen sharply to just over 5.14 million in 2015.

Livestock Slaughterings

21.5 Livestock slaughterings

000 head
	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Cattle	1,815	1,685	1,774	1,771	1,665	1,600	1,716	1,642	1,484	1,589	1,749	1,665
Pigs	2,711	2,656	2,658	2,615	2,578	2,421	2,657	2,905	2,972	2,904	3,043	3,232
Sheep	3,565	3,613	3,488	3,264	2,919	2,730	2,383	2,410	2,691	2,874	2,837	2,833
Source: CSO

Open in Excel: 21.5 Livestock slaughterings 2004-2015 (XLS 33KB)

Show Graph - 21.5 Livestock slaughterings 2004-2015

X-axis label	Cattle	Pigs	Sheep
2004	1.8147	2.7110	3.5654
2005	1.6850	2.6563	3.6127
2006	1.7737	2.6579	3.4877
2007	1.7710	2.6147	3.2637
2008	1.6649	2.5776	2.9191
2009	1.6003	2.4207	2.7298
2010	1.7164	2.6570	2.3826
2011	1.6423	2.9050	2.4099
2012	1.4837	2.9722	2.6908
2013	1.5886	2.9036	2.8741
2014	1.7487	3.0428	2.8366
2015	1.6648	3.2323	2.8327

Interactive table: StatBank link

Cattle slaughterings in 2015 decreased by almost 5% in comparison to 2014.

Pig slaughterings in 2015 increased by 6% and Sheep slaughterings remained virtually unchanged in comparison to 2014.

Go to next chapter >>> Agriculture Accounts

Statistical Yearbook of Ireland 2016

Crops & Livestock

Introduction - Crops & Livestock

Area under crops and pasture in June

Area under selected crops 1855-2015

Number of livestock in June

Number of cattle, sheep and pigs 1855-2015

Livestock Slaughterings

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