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) 2024 April 3,692
Cattle (total) 2024 December 3,562
Young cattle for milk (total) 2024 April 967
Young cattle for milk (total) 2024 December 944
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2024 April 430
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2024 December 415
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2024 April 45
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2024 December 51
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2024 April 414
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2024 December 397
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2024 April 9
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2024 December 10
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2024 April 70
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2024 December 72
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2024 April 1,543
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2024 December 1,527
Veal calves (total) 2024 April 925
Veal calves (total) 2024 December 865
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2024 April 323
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2024 December 312
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2024 April 602
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2024 December 553
Young cattle for meat (total) 2024 April 191
Young cattle for meat (total) 2024 December 168
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2024 April 42
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2024 December 35
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2024 April 43
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2024 December 37
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2024 April 43
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2024 December 38
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2024 April 36
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2024 December 33
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2024 April 27
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2024 December 25
Other cattle (total) 2024 April 51
Other cattle (total) 2024 December 43
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2024 April 15
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2024 December 13
Sheep (total) 2024 April 738
Sheep (total) 2024 December 607
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2024 April 243
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2024 December 94
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2024 April 1
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2024 December 3
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2024 April 11
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2024 December 10
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2024 April 76
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2024 December 161
Other sheep older than 1 year 2024 April 386
Other sheep older than 1 year 2024 December 317
Rams >= 7 months 2024 April 20
Rams >= 7 months 2024 December 22
Goats (total) 2024 April 636
Goats (total) 2024 December 552
Goats 0 to 7 months 2024 April 133
Goats 0 to 7 months 2024 December 31
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 April 29
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 December 94
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2024 April 451
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2024 December 403
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 April 1
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 December 2
Other goats 1 year or older 2024 April 12
Other goats 1 year or older 2024 December 11
Male goats 7 months or older 2024 April 10
Male goats 7 months or older 2024 December 11
Chickens (total) 2024 April 83,077
Chickens (total) 2024 December 82,340
Laying hens (total) 2024 April 39,495
Laying hens (total) 2024 December 37,570
Laying hens for rearing 2024 April 8,914
Laying hens for rearing 2024 December 6,861
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2024 April 25,394
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2024 December 26,387
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2024 April 5,187
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2024 December 4,322
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2024 April 1,658
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2024 December 1,829
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2024 April 403
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2024 December 650
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2024 April 1,255
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2024 December 1,179
Broilers 2024 April 35,101
Broilers 2024 December 36,373
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2024 April 6,824
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2024 December 6,568
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2024 April 2,614
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2024 December 2,514
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2024 April 4,209
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2024 December 4,054
Ducks for slaughter 2024 April 378
Ducks for slaughter 2024 December 363
Turkeys 2024 April 502
Turkeys 2024 December 370
Pigs (total) 2024 April 10,418
Pigs (total) 2024 December 10,192
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2024 April 1,910
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2024 December 1,749
Young pigs < 50 kg 2024 April 4,359
Young pigs < 50 kg 2024 December 4,276
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 December1st .
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:
New figures on the number of animals are first published as 'provisional' and when more complete figures of the Agricultural Census become available, they are adjusted accordingly from provisional to 'definitive'.

Changes as of May 14, 2025:
The final figures for April 2024 and December 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published?
The provisional figures of April are published in September. The provisional figures of December are published in February of the subsequent year. The definite figures of April are published in May of the subsequent year and the definite figures of December are published in September of the subsequent year.

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).