Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) pigs, (b) beef cattle, (c) hens, (d) sheep, (e) dairy cattle and (f) calves there were on Northern Ireland farms in March in each of the last four years.
Answer
Accurate information is not known for March. The results of a statistical survey of Northern Ireland agriculture conducted annually in June provide the best available estimate.
| Number | Livestock type | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 |
| Pigs | 387,714 | 433,689 | 424,058 | 405,093 | |
| Beef cattle | 422,667 | 433,544 | 427,695 | 428,997 | |
| Broilers (Thousand) | 11,273 | 12,811 | 15,007 | 12,526 | |
| Other hens (Thousand) | 5,139 | 5,274 | 5,061 | 4,622 | |
| Sheep | 2,324,161 | 2,241,112 | 2,225,407 | 2,145,084 | |
| Dairy cattle | 297,935 | 290,145 | 288,296 | 290,530 | |
| Calves | 472,359 | 471,471 | 466,718 | 457,067 | |
| Notes:1. Pigs are defined as breeding and fattening pigs.2. Beef cattle are defined as cattle over one year old, intended for slaughter. 3. Sheep are defined as breeding and fattening sheep.4. Dairy cattle are defined as dairy cows and heifers in milk and dairy cows in calf but not in milk.5. Calves are defined as cattle under one year old. |