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

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 figures for December 2025 and April 2026 are provisional; the other figures are final.

Changes as of 26 August 2026:
The provisional figures for April 2026 have been added. The figures for young cattle for meat production, sheep aged 0–7 months, goats aged 0–7 months, and poultry are not yet available.

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.