According to preliminary results, commercial slaughterhouses in Germany produced almost 3.5 million tons of meat in the first half of 2022. As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), this was 7.9% less than in the same period of the previous year. A total of 25.8 million pigs, cattle, sheep, goats and horses and 353.2 million chickens, turkeys and ducks were slaughtered in the slaughterhouses in the first half of 2022.

10.1% less pork than in the first half of 2021

In the first six months of the year, German farms slaughtered 23.8 million pigs. This corresponds to a decrease of around 2.3 million animals slaughtered or 8.9% compared to the previous year. The amount of pork produced in H1 2022 was 2.3 million tons, down 10.1% on the same period last year (-253,800 tons). The average slaughter weight of the pigs also fell by just over a kilogram to 96.31 kilograms. One reason for the declining pork production is the likewise declining pig stocks in Germany .

Beef production 9.1% lower than the same period last year

In total, companies in Germany slaughtered around 1.4 million cattle in the first half of 2022. Compared to the previous year, this means a decrease of 8.1% (-127,200 animals). The amount of beef produced fell by 9.1% to 476,100 tons (-47,500 tons) in the survey period compared to 2021. The average weight of the cattle was 329.53 kilograms, around 3.6 kilograms below the weight of the same period last year.

Poultry meat production largely constant

In the first half of 2022, the amount of poultry meat produced fell far less than pork and beef production. At around 771,600 tonnes, poultry meat was produced 0.2% less than in the same period last year (-1,800 tonnes).

Pork with the largest share of production

For years, pork has accounted for the largest share of commercial meat production in Germany. In the first half of 2022, almost two thirds (64.3%) of the meat produced came from slaughtered pigs. This was followed by poultry meat with a share of 21.9% and beef with 13.5%. The meat from sheep, goats and horses accounted for only around 0.3% of the total production.

Euromeat new.com