Livestock on agricultural holdings: reference date 1 April and 1 December

Livestock on agricultural holdings: reference date 1 April and 1 December

Farm animals Periods Livestock (x 1000)
Cattle (total) 2024 April* 3,693
Cattle (total) 2024 December* 3,542
Young cattle for milk (total) 2024 April* 967
Young cattle for milk (total) 2024 December* 940
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2024 April* 430
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2024 December* 413
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2024 April* 44
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2024 December* 51
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2024 April* 414
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2024 December* 395
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2024 April* 9
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2024 December* 10
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2024 April* 70
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2024 December* 72
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2024 April* 1,544
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2024 December* 1,521
Veal calves (total) 2024 April* 925
Veal calves (total) 2024 December* 858
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2024 April* 324
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2024 December* 312
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2024 April* 601
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2024 December* 547
Young cattle for meat (total) 2024 April* 192
Young cattle for meat (total) 2024 December* 167
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2024 April* 42
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2024 December* 34
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2024 April* 43
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2024 December* 37
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2024 April* 43
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2024 December* 38
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2024 April* 36
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2024 December* 33
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2024 April* 27
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2024 December* 25
Other cattle (total) 2024 April* 51
Other cattle (total) 2024 December* 43
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2024 April* 15
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2024 December* 13
Sheep (total) 2024 April* 733
Sheep (total) 2024 December* 604
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2024 April* 237
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2024 December* 94
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2024 April* 1
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2024 December* 3
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2024 April* 11
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2024 December* 10
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2024 April* 76
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2024 December* 160
Other sheep older than 1 year 2024 April* 386
Other sheep older than 1 year 2024 December* 315
Rams >= 7 months 2024 April* 20
Rams >= 7 months 2024 December* 22
Goats (total) 2024 April* 631
Goats (total) 2024 December* 546
Goats 0 to 7 months 2024 April* 133
Goats 0 to 7 months 2024 December* 30
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 April* 29
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 December* 94
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2024 April* 446
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2024 December* 398
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 April* 1
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 December* 2
Other goats 1 year or older 2024 April* 11
Other goats 1 year or older 2024 December* 11
Male goats 7 months or older 2024 April* 10
Male goats 7 months or older 2024 December* 11
Chickens (total) 2024 April* 83,285
Chickens (total) 2024 December* 82,339
Laying hens (total) 2024 April* 39,332
Laying hens (total) 2024 December* 37,569
Laying hens for rearing 2024 April* 8,892
Laying hens for rearing 2024 December* 6,860
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2024 April* 25,461
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2024 December* 26,387
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2024 April* 4,979
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2024 December* 4,322
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2024 April* 1,534
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2024 December* 1,829
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2024 April* 364
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2024 December* 650
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2024 April* 1,170
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2024 December* 1,179
Broilers 2024 April* 35,660
Broilers 2024 December* 36,373
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2024 April* 6,759
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2024 December* 6,568
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2024 April* 2,608
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2024 December* 2,514
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2024 April* 4,150
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2024 December* 4,054
Ducks for slaughter 2024 April* 378
Ducks for slaughter 2024 December* 363
Turkeys 2024 April* 493
Turkeys 2024 December* 370
Pigs (total) 2024 April* 10,477
Pigs (total) 2024 December* 10,182
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2024 April* 1,917
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2024 December* 1,740
Young pigs < 50 kg 2024 April* 4,392
Young pigs < 50 kg 2024 December* 4,283
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data on the number of cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks for slaughter and pigs on Dutch agricultural holdings. The number of animals is determined on April 1st and December1st .
The number of animals can differ from those in the tables of the agricultural census (see ‘links to relevant tables and relevant articles).
In the agricultural census the number of veal calves, fattening pigs, chicken and turkey are, from 2018 onwards, adjusted in the case of temporary breaks in the production cycle (e.g. sanitary cleaning).
The agricultural census is a structural survey, in which adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle is a.o. relevant for the calculation of the economic size of the holding, and its farm type.
In the livestock surveys the number of animals on the reference day is relevant, therefore no adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle are made.

Data available from: 1 April 2018.

Status of the figures:
New figures on the number of animals are first published as 'provisional' and when more complete figures of the Agricultural Census become available, they are adjusted accordingly from provisional to 'definitive'.

Changes as of February 14, 2025:
The provisional figures for December 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published?
The provisional figures of April are published in September. The provisional figures of December are published in February of the subsequent year. The definite figures of April are published in May of the subsequent year and the definite figures of December are published in September of the subsequent year.

Description topics

Livestock
Total livestock includes the following livestock categories observed in the agricultural census: - cattle; - sheep and goats; - fattening pigs and breeding pigs (including piglets); - poultry (excluding other poultry: geese, pheasants, ostriches, guinea fowls and such).