In the second half (semester) of 2025, the gross indigenous production (GIP) of bovine animals in the EU is projected to reach 12.1 million head. This would indicate an increase of 2.1% compared with the same period in 2024, when 11.9 million animals were produced.
By contrast, the production of sheep in the second semester of 2025 is forecast to be 7% lower (at 14.5 million head) than in the same semester of 2024. The production of goats is projected to have increased 1.7% to 2.4 million head.
Forecasts for pig production are made on a quarterly basis and suggest a decrease of 2.7% in the last quarter of 2025 (to 57.1 million head) compared with the same quarter of 2024.
Source datasets: apro_mt_pcatlhs and apro_mt_ppighq
France to remain largest bovine producer in the EU
France is forecast to remain the largest producer of bovine meat among EU countries in the second semester of 2025, accounting for 22% of the EU’s total bovine meat production. However, in contrast to the wider EU development, production is forecast to decline (-1.6% to 2.6 million head). Among other key producer countries, higher production levels are forecast: this includes Germany (+1.0% to 1.9 million head), Spain (+17.4% to 1.2 million head) and Ireland (+7.5% to 1.1 million head).
Source dataset: apro_mt_pcatlhs
Spain to remain as largest producer of pigs and sheep, Greece of goats
It is projected that Spain will produce 12.0 million head of pigs in the fourth quarter of 2025, which would be the equivalent of about 21% of the EU total. This would represent a much sharper decline in production (an estimated -9% compared with the fourth quarter of 2024) than the average for the EU.
Among other main EU producers, declines are forecast in Denmark (-3.2% to 7.9 million head) and France (-1.0% to 5.7 million head), but relatively small rises in Germany (+0.6% to 8.9 million head) and the Netherlands (+0.1% to 5.6 million head).
The forecast decline in the production of sheep in Spain in the second semester of 2025 (- 14.6% compared with the second semester of 2024) would represent twice the rate of decline for the EU as a whole. Nevertheless, Spain would remain the main EU producer and account for just over a quarter of the EU’s production.
It is projected that Greece, the EU’s leading producer of goatmeat, will produce 1.0 million head in the second semester of 2025. Spain is expected to produce 0.6 million head (up about 12% compared with the second semester of 2024).
For more information
- Statistics Explained article on agricultural production – livestock and meat
- Thematic section on agriculture
- Database on agriculture statistics
- A look at European farms – agricultural census results
- Agriculture facts dashboard
Methodological note
Gross indigenous production (GIP) is the number of animals slaughtered plus the balance of intra-Community and external trade for the same kind of live animals. GIP is thus the number of animals from an EU country (indigenous) apparently (gross) slaughtered or exported alive. The GIP is forecasted based on the latest reported numbers of livestock broken down by the categories that were designed for this forecasting purpose.
Regulation (EU) 2023/2745 as regards animal production statistics, the implementing SAIO Regulation lays down rules on data requirements, datasets and its contents, precision requirements, descriptions, and methodology for exemptions.