Animal Slaughtering

Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Ceisteanna (143)

Ken O'Flynn

Ceist:

143. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of cattle and sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning in Ireland in each of the past five years; and if he will indicate the percentage of overall cattle and sheep slaughter that the figures represent. [52204/25]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The information requested is not readily available and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Orders.

My Department records the number of cattle and sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning on a quarterly basis.

In 2024 there was 105,408 cattle slaughtered without pre-stunning representing 5.92% of the total cattle slaughter. In the first 2 quarters of 2025, there were 28,835 cattle slaughtered without pre-stunning representing 3.34% of the total cattle slaughter.

For sheep, in 2024 there was 464,530 sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning representing 18.61% of the total sheep slaughter. In the first 2 quarters of 2025, there were 31,484 sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning representing 3.02% of the total sheep slaughter.

Table 1 contains the Total number of cattle and sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning from 2020 to end Q2 2025 and the percentage these represent of the overall cattle and sheep slaughter.

TABLE 1

Species	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025 Q1 and Q2
Total Cattle slaughtered without pre-stunning	104795	72141	105660	106460	105408	28835
Total Sheep slaughtered without pre-stunning	940529	924428	1011264	1034292	464530	31484

Species	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025 Q1 and Q2
Percentage of overall cattle slaughter	5.87%	4.28%	5.80%	6.09%	5.92%	3.34%
Percentage of overall sheep slaughter	32.49%	33.98%	34.61%	36.00%	18.61%	3.02%