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In 2023, the EU's livestock populations were lower than a year earlier. Compared with 2022, the pig and bovine populations decreased by 1%, while sheep declined by 3%, and goats by 5%. In 2023, the EU had 133 million pigs, 74 million bovine animals, 58 million sheep, and 11 million goats. This information comes from provisional data on the EU’s livestock population, published by Eurostat.
Over the past decade, the populations of all livestock species have declined. The population of bovine animals in the EU decreased the least, down by 5% compared with 2013, followed by pigs (down 6%). Sheep numbers decreased by 9%, while that of goats experienced a sharp decline of 15%.
While EU-level changes in pig populations in 2023 as compared with 2022 were relatively modest, there were diverse developments among EU countries. Croatia and Ireland recorded sharp decreases in their pig populations (-10% compared with 2022), whereas Bulgaria and Malta recorded even sharper increases (both +21%).
May 21, 2024/ European Commission/ European Union.
https://ec.europa.eu/
