NUMBER OF LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY
Situation as on 1 November 2025

Data released in this First Release refer to the final number of livestock and poultry with the situation as on the observed date and include the reporting units that meet the criteria set up for agricultural holdings engaged in the breeding of livestock and poultry.

The total number of cattle decreased by 0.9% in 2025 compared to 2024, whereas the total number of dairy cows remained at approximately the same level as in the previous year.

The total number of sheep in 2025 decreased by 5.8%, with a decrease of 5.5% in the number of ewes. At the same time, the total number of goats decreased by 2.9%.

The number of pigs increased by 3.2%, with a decrease of 10.9% in breeding pigs.

Compared to 2024, the total number of poultry decreased by 5.1%, with a decrease of 1.7% in the number of chickens (broilers) and of 14.9% in the number of hens, whereas the number of turkeys increased by 10.2%.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Data on the number of livestock and poultry are collected in two ways: through a regular annual statistical survey on crop and animal production and using administrative data sources.

Data on the number of livestock and poultry are collected using the Annual Survey on Crop and Animal Production (PO-71 form), which serves to collect data on the number as well as on the weight of pigs and poultry, production and losses of pigs and poultry, production and balance of eggs, production of milk (cows’, sheep’s and goats’), balance of milk as well as production of milk products and wool. The data are collected separately for business entities and parts thereof and for private family farms.

Data for business entities are collected via a web application through which the reporting units fill in data themselves and via reports, which are delivered to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics my mail.

Data for private family farms are collected using the CATI method applied to the selected stratified sample. The sample for the Annual Survey on Crop and Animal Production (PO-71 form) has been selected on the basis of the Statistical Register of Agricultural Holdings and numbers approximately 25 000 units.

Data on the number of cattle, sheep and goats are taken over from the Single Register of Domestic Animals (JRDŽ), kept by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries as an administrative data source and refer to the reporting units entered in the Register of Farmers and engaged in the production and breeding of cattle, sheep and goats. This First Release does not include reporting units recorded in JRDŽ that are engaged exclusively in the circulation of livestock, without keeping them longer for the purposes of fattening and breeding.

For the purpose of methodological harmonisation for individual categories of cattle, sheep and goats, an estimation of their number has been performed based on historical survey data on animal production and other available sources.

All expanded data have been compared with data from previous years and with available administrative and other sources. If necessary, corrections have been made based on all available data.

The methodology for carrying out the livestock survey is based on Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 on statistics on agricultural input and output, amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 617/2008 and repealing Regulations (EC) No 1165/2008, (EC) No 543/2009 and (EC) No 1185/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 96/16/EC, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/2745 of 8 December 2023 laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) 2022/2379 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards animal production statistics, and the Methodological Basis for Gathering Data on Milk and Dairy Products Statistics (NN, No. 42/13).

Coverage and comparability

The reporting units are business entities and parts thereof defined by section A Agriculture, forestry and fishing according to the National Classification of Activities, 2025 version (NN, No. 47/24), as well as other business entities and parts thereof engaged in livestock production that are classified elsewhere.

The reporting units are also private family farms engaged in the production of livestock and poultry.

Confidentiality

Aggregate data from which individual units can be identified (due to their small number, the dominance rule or the secondary confidentiality rule), in accordance with the Official Statistics Act (NN, Nos 25/20, 155/23 and 124/25 – corr.) and the Instruction on the Protection Rules and Methods for the Dissemination of Official Statistics of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (NN, No. 78/21), are treated as confidential and are, therefore, not published.

Definitions

Cows are female bovine animals, which have already calved.

Heifers are selected female bovine animals that have not calved yet.

Sows are female breeding animals that have farrowed for at least once.

Mated sows are female breeding animals that have already farrowed and are expected to farrow again.

Gilts are selected young female breeding animals that have not farrowed yet.

Mated gilts are young female breeding animals that are expected to farrow for the first time.

Boars are male breeding animals.

Ewes for breeding are female breeding animals that have already lambed as well as those that are expected to lamb for the first time.

Other poultry includes domestic guineafowls, quails and other poultry bred primarily for the production of meat and eggs. Feathered game raised for hunting is excluded.

Abbreviations

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Edita Omerzo, Director of Spatial Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Acting Director General

Prepared by:
Ana Pavetić

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