RLAL2401
Production of beef and weal up by 12.7 % last year
Central Statistical Bureau provisional data show that in 2023 meat production reduced – 91.0 thousand tonnes of meat were produced, which is 3.2 thousand tonnes or 3.4 % fewer than in 2022.
Increased output was recorded in production of beef and veal (12.7 %), poultry (0.5 %) as well as mutton and goat meat (0.1 %), while production of pork fell by 13.9 %.
Output of livestock products
2022 | 20231 | Change, % (2023 compared to 2022) | |
Meat (slaughter weight), thousand tonnes | 94.2 | 91.0 | -3.4 |
beef and veal | 15.9 | 18.0 | 12.7 |
pork | 38.7 | 33.3 | -13.9 |
mutton and goat meat | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 |
poultry | 38.4 | 38.6 | 0.5 |
other meat | 0.3 | 0.2 | -6.2 |
Raw milk (incl. goat milk), thousand tonnes | 975.3 | 963.7 | -1.2 |
Eggs, million pieces | 872.2 | 849.6 | -2.6 |
Poultry and pork took the largest share of the meat produced (42.4 % and 36.6 %, respectively). The share of beef and veal rose from 16.9 % in 2022 to 19.7 % in 2023, with the greatest proportion (59.0 %) in the beef and veal production taken by cow meat (55.0 % in 2022).
Export of cattle and pigs grew
In 2023, compared to 2022, the number of exported live bovine animals went up by 7.6 thousand or 11.1 % while the number of imported live bovine animals went down by 1.2 thousand or 46.1 %.
The export of live swine increased by 58.8 thousand or 27.2 %, and piglets for further fattening made 76.6 % of all exported pigs (70.0 % in 2022). The number of imported live swine rose by 25.5 thousand or 36.8 %.
The number of exported live sheep fell by 26.2 %.
Find out more about the import and export of animals in the official statistics portal section Foreign trade in goods.
Declining number of dairy cows
The number of dairy cows dropped from 127.8 thousand at the end of 2022 to 119.0 thousand at the end of 2023 or by 6.8 %.
In 2023 a total of 963.7 thousand tonnes of raw milk (incl. goat milk) was produced, which is 11.6 thousand tonnes or 1.2 % fewer than in 2022. Milk procurement and processing companies purchased 828.7 thousand tonnes or 86.1 % of all raw milk produced (810.9 thousand or 83.3 % in 2022).
On average one dairy cow produced 256 kilogrammes or 3.4 % more milk than in 2022, thus milk yield per dairy cow reached 7 748 kilogrammes in 2023.
Number of cattle fell by 6.0 % at the end of the year
At the end of 2023, compared to the end of 2022, decline was observed in the number of all livestock, except for poultry. The number of cattle reduced from 391.4 thousand at the end of 2022 to 368.1 thousand at the end of 2023 or by 6.0 %. The number of pigs decreased by 18.0 thousand or 5.8 %, of sheep by 9.0 thousand or 10.3 %, and of goats by 1.3 thousand or 11.4 %. However, the number of poultry rose by 178.0 thousand or 3.1 %.
Number of livestock
(thousand, at the end of the year)
20222 | 20231, 2 | Change, % (2023 compared to 2022) | |
Cattle | 391.4 | 368.1 | -6.0 |
dairy cows | 127.8 | 119.0 | -6.8 |
other cows | 62.9 | 61.9 | -1.6 |
Pigs | 307.9 | 290.0 | -5.8 |
Sheep | 87.3 | 78.3 | -10.3 |
Goats | 11.7 | 10.3 | -11.4 |
Poultry | 5 744.3 | 5 922.3 | 3.1 |
laying hens | 3 343.5 | 3 385.0 | 1.2 |
Egg production down by 2.6 %
At the end of 2023, the number of laying hens increased by 41.5 thousand or 1.2 % while egg production fell by 22.6 million eggs or 2.6 %. Hens' eggs made 97 % of all eggs produced (98 % in 2022). One laying hen on average produced 297 eggs, which is 3.3 % fewer than in 2022.
Methodological information
1 Provisional data.
2 Data source for cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, horses and poultry data: Livestock Register of the Agricultural Data Centre.
Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666
More information on data:
Lolita Lazda-Lazdiņa
Agricultural Statistics Section
E-mail: Lolita.Lazda@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366982
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