Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland
Switzerland: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 602,708 animals in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
602,708 animals
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
72nd
of 198 countries
All-time high
902,759 animals
in 1980
All-time low
595,925 animals
in 2022
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland stood at 602,708 animals.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland peaked at 902,759 animals in 1980 and was at its lowest, 595,925 animals, in 2022.
That places Switzerland 72nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 809,697 animals | — |
| 1962 | 852,596 animals | +5.3% |
| 1963 | 834,587 animals | -2.1% |
| 1964 | 777,139 animals | -6.9% |
| 1965 | 770,058 animals | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 786,422 animals | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 787,973 animals | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 808,962 animals | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 773,610 animals | -4.4% |
| 1970 | 814,075 animals | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 820,710 animals | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 740,615 animals | -9.8% |
| 1973 | 747,134 animals | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 813,817 animals | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 803,591 animals | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 831,988 animals | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 828,683 animals | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 825,271 animals | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 868,209 animals | +5.2% |
| 1980 | 902,759 animals | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 840,591 animals | -6.9% |
| 1982 | 847,810 animals | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 798,180 animals | -5.9% |
| 1984 | 836,120 animals | +4.8% |
| 1985 | 845,000 animals | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 838,590 animals | -0.8% |
| 1987 | 861,281 animals | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 773,245 animals | -10.2% |
| 1989 | 769,485 animals | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 789,512 animals | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 838,452 animals | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 820,356 animals | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 774,766 animals | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 712,661 animals | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 737,375 animals | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 810,130 animals | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 778,096 animals | -4.0% |
| 1998 | 746,487 animals | -4.1% |
| 1999 | 742,940 animals | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 654,953 animals | -11.8% |
| 2001 | 679,677 animals | +3.8% |
| 2002 | 686,652 animals | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 671,447 animals | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 642,238 animals | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 623,049 animals | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 633,193 animals | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 615,308 animals | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 623,701 animals | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 650,392 animals | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 651,670 animals | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 656,723 animals | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 650,663 animals | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 647,971 animals | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 649,272 animals | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 629,547 animals | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 629,338 animals | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 605,667 animals | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 628,644 animals | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 615,963 animals | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 605,109 animals | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 598,691 animals | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 595,925 animals | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 600,163 animals | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 602,708 animals | +0.4% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 602,708 animals is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,025 animals, 3.7× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 602,708 animals is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 433,650 animals, 1.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 800,116 animals | 770,058 animals | 852,596 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 809,409 animals | 740,615 animals | 868,209 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 831,306 animals | 769,485 animals | 902,759 animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 775,078 animals | 712,661 animals | 838,452 animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 648,061 animals | 615,308 animals | 686,652 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 636,546 animals | 605,667 animals | 656,723 animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 600,519 animals | 595,925 animals | 605,109 animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More agriculture & rural data for Switzerland
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 739.83 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8806 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1427 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.6% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.6% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in Switzerland was 602,708 animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 902,759 animals in 1980.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 595,925 animals in 2022.
- How does Switzerland rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- Switzerland ranks 72nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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