Slaughter numbers show why meat availability must be read through carcass weights

September figures published by Defra show year-on-year declines across the United Kingdom’s three main livestock categories. Prime-cattle slaughter fell 6.5% to 160,000 head, while beef and veal output reached 73,000 tonnes, down 5.4%. Clean-sheep slaughter declined 6.3% and mutton and lamb production fell 3.7%. In pigs, the reduction was more moderate: 1.1% fewer animals and 0.2% less output.