SLAUGHTERING OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY, 2024

According to the available data on the total slaughter of livestock in slaughterhouses, the number of slaughtered cattle remained at approximately the same level (around 159 000 head) in 2024 compared to 2023.

The slaughter of pigs increased by 5.6%, that is, approximately 59 300 head more were slaughtered than in the previous year. The number of sheep slaughtered in slaughterhouses increased by approximately 8 500 head, that is, by 5.9%, while the number of slaughtered poultry increased by 6.9% compared to the previous year.

Concerning the net weight of livestock slaughtered in slaughterhouses, an increase of approximately 1 300 t (3.1%) was recorded in the production of cattle, and of approximately 5 500 t (7.1%) in the production of pigs.

The net weight of sheep slaughtered in slaughterhouses increased by 6.8% (approximately 120 t), while the production of poultry increased by approximately 5 600 t (7.8%).

Concerning the total slaughtered livestock and poultry, including the estimate of domestic slaughtering on private family farms, the following changes were recorded compared to the previous year.

The number of slaughtered pigs in 2024, as compared to 2023, increased by 6.8% (approximately 103 200 head), with an increase in net weight of 8.3% (9 226 t).

The total number of slaughtered sheep decreased by approximately 71 000 head (13.2%), with a decrease in net weight of 815 t (12.5%).

The total number of slaughtered goats in 2024 was 14.4% lower (approximately 6 700 head), with a decrease in net weight of 74 t (14.5%).

The total number of slaughtered poultry increased by 1.4% (approximately 736 500 head) and their net weight by 2.7% (2 390 t).

The data on the total slaughtered cattle equal those on the cattle slaughtered in slaughterhouses.

Concerning the gross indigenous production, the situation was as follows.

Expressed in percentages, the number of slaughtered cattle increased by 1.4% and their net weight by 8.2%.

The total number of slaughtered sheep decreased by 19.3% and their net weight by 15.6%.

The total number of slaughtered pigs decreased by 2.7%, while their net weight increased by 4.9%.

The total number of slaughtered goats decreased by 14.4% and their net weight by 14.5%.

Presented in numbers, there were approximately 1 120 head more of slaughtered cattle, approximately 86 300 head less of slaughtered sheep, approximately 34 800 head less of slaughtered pigs and approximately 6 700 head less of slaughtered goats. The increase in net weight amounted to approximately 3 500 t in the category of cattle, the net weight in the category of pigs increased by 6 100 t, the net weight of sheep decreased by approximately 900 t and the net weight of goats decreased by approximately 74 t.

The number of slaughtered poultry increased by 2.9% (approximately 1 450 000 head) and their net weight by 2.6% (approximately 2 200 t).

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Annual data on slaughtering of livestock and poultry in slaughterhouses are taken over from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – Directorate for Livestock and Food Quality (Department for the Control of the Carcass Classification System for Cattle, Pigs and Sheep Križevci).

Data on the total annual slaughtering of livestock and poultry are also obtained, except from administrative data on the slaughtering of livestock and poultry in slaughterhouses, on the basis of data collected in regular annual surveys on the number of livestock and livestock production at business entities and on private family farms.

Data on export and import of livestock and poultry are taken over from the foreign trade in goods statistics.

The survey on slaughtering of livestock and poultry in slaughterhouses serves for collecting data on the number of slaughtered livestock by types and categories, their weight before slaughtering (gross weight), the weight of dressed carcass (net weight) and data on coefficients of utilisation.

Data on the balance of livestock and poultry also include information on the number of slaughtered livestock and poultry on private family farms as well as on compulsory slaughtering at legal entities.

The methodology for carrying out the livestock survey is based on the Regulation (EC) No 1165/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 concerning livestock and meat statistics and repealing Council Directives 93/23/EEC, 93/24/EEC and 93/25/EEC.

Coverage and comparability

Reporting units that submit monthly reports on livestock and poultry slaughtering are legal entities, parts thereof and tradesmen engaged in the activity of livestock and poultry slaughtering.

Data on the number and production of livestock for business entities are collected in two ways: on reports submitted to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics by postal service and by using the internet application filled in by reporting units.

Data for private family farms are collected by telephone interviewing on a selected stratified sample. The sample has been selected from the Statistical Register of Agricultural Holdings, which has approximately 25 000 units.

Gross indigenous production forecast is based on estimation models by using data from available administrative sources and regular statistical surveys.

Confidentiality

Aggregate data for which there are reasons for confidentiality (small number of units, the dominance rule or secondary confidentiality rule) according to the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20 and 155/23) and to the Instruction on the Method of Protection of Confidential Statistical Data in the Croatian Bureau of Statistics are considered confidential and therefore are not published.

Definitions

Net weight is the weight of dressed carcass of slaughtered animals without skin and blood, eviscerated and beheaded (not including piglets and poultry), and after removal of the viscera, fore ends and hind legs with knuckle.

Coefficient of utilisation of slaughtered livestock and poultry is a percentage ratio of the weight of the slaughtered cattle and poultry (net weight) and the weight of livestock and live poultry (gross weight), and it is presented in percentage.

Total slaughtering of livestock and poultry covers all livestock and poultry slaughtered on the territory of the Republic of Croatia, irrespective of origin. It represents the sum of livestock and poultry slaughtered in slaughterhouses and livestock and poultry slaughtered at legal entities (compulsory slaughtering) and on private family farms. The data on the total slaughtering of cattle include solely the cattle slaughtered in slaughterhouses.

Gross indigenous production covers livestock and poultry bred on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. It represents the difference between the total slaughtered livestock and poultry and the external trade balance (gross indigenous production – slaughtered meat production minus the meat equivalent of animals imported alive plus the meat equivalent of animal exported alive).

Gross indigenous production forecast corresponds to the estimate of slaughtered cattle, pigs and sheep plus their external trade balance.

Abbreviations

Symbols

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
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