The total sheep kill at NI abattoirs in 2025 looks set to end the year, down 12% on 2024 levels and 20% behind that seen in 2023.

Up to the third week of December, the total sheep kill in NI is at 392,674 head. Adding in a fairly typical kill in and around Christmas should see that total rise to approximately 400,000, which would be the lowest total sheep kill in NI since 2011. In 2025, there were 456,886 sheep slaughtered at NI abattoirs and in 2024 the total was 502,805.

While the annual sheep kill is well down in 2025, the highest weekly kills of over 10,000 head have happened in December, partly due to a drop off in numbers going to the Republic of Ireland on the back of concerns around the spread of bluetongue virus.

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Cattle

The 2024 cattle kill is also down when compared to 2024, although it is still one of the highest ever annual kills by NI abattoirs.

Current projections suggest that around 367,000 prime cattle will be slaughtered in NI during 2025, which is down 6% on 2024. Similar projections should see the cow kill finish the year at close to 112,000, although that is 7.4% lower than in 2024. Across all categories of cattle, the total kill should end the year at just over 490,000, down 6.3% on the record high of 524,789 seen in 2024.

The only other year when the total cattle kill crossed 500,000 head was in 2022, when 505,895 animals were slaughtered.