Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 2.85 million animals in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.85 million animals
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
24th
of 198 countries
All-time high
5.36 million animals
in 1975
All-time low
2.16 million animals
in 2001
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom, 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 United Kingdom stood at 2.85 million animals.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom peaked at 5.36 million animals in 1975 and was at its lowest, 2.16 million animals, in 2001.
United Kingdom ranks 24th of 198 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.27 million animals | — |
| 1962 | 4.28 million animals | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 4.26 million animals | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 3.86 million animals | -9.3% |
| 1965 | 3.58 million animals | -7.2% |
| 1966 | 3.87 million animals | +8.0% |
| 1967 | 4.21 million animals | +8.7% |
| 1968 | 4.01 million animals | -4.7% |
| 1969 | 3.81 million animals | -5.1% |
| 1970 | 4.05 million animals | +6.4% |
| 1971 | 3.89 million animals | -3.8% |
| 1972 | 3.65 million animals | -6.3% |
| 1973 | 3.46 million animals | -5.2% |
| 1974 | 4.63 million animals | +34.0% |
| 1975 | 5.36 million animals | +15.8% |
| 1976 | 4.44 million animals | -17.2% |
| 1977 | 4.11 million animals | -7.4% |
| 1978 | 4.03 million animals | -1.9% |
| 1979 | 4.06 million animals | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 4.25 million animals | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 3.98 million animals | -6.5% |
| 1982 | 3.63 million animals | -8.8% |
| 1983 | 3.93 million animals | +8.2% |
| 1984 | 4.31 million animals | +9.8% |
| 1985 | 4.29 million animals | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 3.94 million animals | -8.0% |
| 1987 | 4.11 million animals | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 3.38 million animals | -17.8% |
| 1989 | 3.44 million animals | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 3.52 million animals | +2.4% |
| 1991 | 3.62 million animals | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 3.78 million animals | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 3.47 million animals | -8.2% |
| 1994 | 3.64 million animals | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 3.81 million animals | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 2.40 million animals | -37.1% |
| 1997 | 2.28 million animals | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 2.33 million animals | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 2.29 million animals | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 2.43 million animals | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 2.16 million animals | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 2.28 million animals | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 2.27 million animals | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 2.35 million animals | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 2.41 million animals | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 2.64 million animals | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 2.66 million animals | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 2.63 million animals | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 2.51 million animals | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 2.71 million animals | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 2.84 million animals | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 2.68 million animals | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 2.62 million animals | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 2.67 million animals | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 2.65 million animals | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 2.78 million animals | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 2.75 million animals | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.81 million animals | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 2.83 million animals | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 2.83 million animals | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2.75 million animals | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 2.81 million animals | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 2.77 million animals | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 2.85 million animals | +3.1% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 2.85 million animals is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,025 animals, 17.7× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 2.85 million animals is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 433,650 animals, 6.6× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.02 million animals | 3.58 million animals | 4.28 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.17 million animals | 3.46 million animals | 5.36 million animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.93 million animals | 3.38 million animals | 4.31 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.11 million animals | 2.28 million animals | 3.81 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.44 million animals | 2.16 million animals | 2.66 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.73 million animals | 2.62 million animals | 2.84 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.80 million animals | 2.75 million animals | 2.85 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1668 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 0.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.1% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United Kingdom was 2.85 million 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 5.36 million animals in 1975.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.16 million animals in 2001.
- How does United Kingdom rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- United Kingdom ranks 24th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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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