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) 2025 April 3,546
Cattle (total) 2025 December* 3,549
Young cattle for milk (total) 2025 April 906
Young cattle for milk (total) 2025 December* 924
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2025 April 400
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2025 December* 419
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2025 April 39
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2025 December* 50
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2025 April 388
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2025 December* 373
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2025 April 8
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2025 December* 8
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2025 April 70
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2025 December* 73
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2025 April 1,527
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2025 December* 1,518
Veal calves (total) 2025 April 864
Veal calves (total) 2025 December* 866
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2025 April 314
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2025 December* 308
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2025 April 550
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2025 December* 558
Young cattle for meat (total) 2025 April 188
Young cattle for meat (total) 2025 December* 186
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2025 April 44
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2025 December* 40
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2025 April 44
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2025 December* 43
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2025 April 41
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2025 December* 42
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2025 April 32
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2025 December* 36
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2025 April 27
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2025 December* 25
Other cattle (total) 2025 April 47
Other cattle (total) 2025 December* 41
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2025 April 14
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2025 December* 13
Sheep (total) 2025 April 676
Sheep (total) 2025 December* 602
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2025 April 210
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2025 December* 86
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2025 April 1
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2025 December* 2
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2025 April 10
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2025 December* 9
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2025 April 84
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2025 December* 167
Other sheep older than 1 year 2025 April 352
Other sheep older than 1 year 2025 December* 316
Rams >= 7 months 2025 April 19
Rams >= 7 months 2025 December* 21
Goats (total) 2025 April 628
Goats (total) 2025 December* 553
Goats 0 to 7 months 2025 April 134
Goats 0 to 7 months 2025 December* 33
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2025 April 28
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2025 December* 93
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2025 April 444
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2025 December* 404
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2025 April 1
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2025 December* 2
Other goats 1 year or older 2025 April 10
Other goats 1 year or older 2025 December* 10
Male goats 7 months or older 2025 April 10
Male goats 7 months or older 2025 December* 11
Chickens (total) 2025 April 81,734
Chickens (total) 2025 December* 81,379
Laying hens (total) 2025 April 39,156
Laying hens (total) 2025 December* 37,560
Laying hens for rearing 2025 April 8,732
Laying hens for rearing 2025 December* 7,469
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2025 April 24,472
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2025 December* 25,434
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2025 April 5,952
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2025 December* 4,658
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2025 April 1,612
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2025 December* 1,433
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2025 April 312
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2025 December* 422
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2025 April 1,299
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2025 December* 1,011
Broilers 2025 April 34,951
Broilers 2025 December* 36,424
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2025 April 6,015
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2025 December* 5,961
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2025 April 2,364
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2025 December* 2,477
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2025 April 3,651
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2025 December* 3,484
Ducks for slaughter 2025 April 378
Ducks for slaughter 2025 December* 301
Turkeys 2025 April 265
Turkeys 2025 December* 266
Pigs (total) 2025 April 9,658
Pigs (total) 2025 December* 9,482
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2025 April 1,778
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2025 December* 1,637
Young pigs < 50 kg 2025 April 4,044
Young pigs < 50 kg 2025 December* 3,903
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 December 1st .
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:
The December 2025 figures are provisional; the other figures are final.

Changes as of May 20, 2026:
The figures for the April 2025 have been adjusted and are now final. The figures for the December 2025 have been adjusted and are provisional.

When will new figures be available?
The provisional figures for April are published in September and will be adjusted in October and February of the following year. The figures for April will become final in May of the following year.
The provisional figures for December are published in February of the following year and will be adjusted in May and September. The figures for December will become final in February of the year following publication.

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).