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) 2023 April 3,749
Cattle (total) 2023 December* 3,739
Young cattle for milk (total) 2023 April 992
Young cattle for milk (total) 2023 December* 1,000
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2023 April 456
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2023 December* 442
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2023 April 43
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2023 December* 49
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2023 April 415
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2023 December* 423
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2023 April 9
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, male 2023 December* 11
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2023 April 70
Young cattle for milk, >= 2 years, fem. 2023 December* 76
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2023 April 1,574
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2023 December* 1,552
Veal calves (total) 2023 April 927
Veal calves (total) 2023 December* 957
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2023 April 336
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2023 December* 331
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2023 April 591
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2023 December* 626
Young cattle for meat (total) 2023 April 191
Young cattle for meat (total) 2023 December* 171
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2023 April 39
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, female 2023 December* 32
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2023 April 44
Young cattle for meat < 1 year, male 2023 December* 38
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2023 April 42
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, female 2023 December* 39
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2023 April 40
Young cattle for meat 1-2 years, male 2023 December* 38
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2023 April 25
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2023 December* 25
Other cattle (total) 2023 April 52
Other cattle (total) 2023 December* 45
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2023 April 14
Bulls (>= 2 years) (total) 2023 December* 13
Sheep (total) 2023 April 839
Sheep (total) 2023 December* 665
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2023 April 289
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2023 December* 90
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2023 April 2
Sheep for milking 7 months to 1 year 2023 December* 3
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2023 April 14
Sheep for milking older than 1 year 2023 December* 12
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2023 April 84
Other sheep 7 months to 1 year 2023 December* 190
Other sheep older than 1 year 2023 April 425
Other sheep older than 1 year 2023 December* 346
Rams >= 7 months 2023 April 25
Rams >= 7 months 2023 December* 25
Goats (total) 2023 April 647
Goats (total) 2023 December* 566
Goats 0 to 7 months 2023 April 134
Goats 0 to 7 months 2023 December* 31
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2023 April 32
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2023 December* 95
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2023 April 458
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2023 December* 417
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2023 April 1
Other goats 7 months to 1 year 2023 December* 2
Other goats 1 year or older 2023 April 12
Other goats 1 year or older 2023 December* 11
Male goats 7 months or older 2023 April 10
Male goats 7 months or older 2023 December* 11
Chickens (total) 2023 April 86,274
Chickens (total) 2023 December* 82,036
Laying hens (total) 2023 April 41,953
Laying hens (total) 2023 December* 39,991
Laying hens for rearing 2023 April 9,700
Laying hens for rearing 2023 December* 8,268
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2023 April 26,396
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2023 December* 27,100
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2023 April 5,857
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2023 December* 4,623
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2023 April 1,506
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2023 December* 1,522
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2023 April 332
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2023 December* 314
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2023 April 1,174
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2023 December* 1,207
Broilers 2023 April 35,961
Broilers 2023 December* 33,717
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2023 April 6,855
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2023 December* 6,807
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2023 April 2,548
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2023 December* 2,717
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2023 April 4,307
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2023 December* 4,090
Ducks for slaughter 2023 April 453
Ducks for slaughter 2023 December* 524
Turkeys 2023 April 530
Turkeys 2023 December* 512
Pigs (total) 2023 April 10,770
Pigs (total) 2023 December* 10,375
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2023 April 1,954
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2023 December* 1,862
Young pigs < 50 kg 2023 April 4,532
Young pigs < 50 kg 2023 December* 4,089
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


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, 2024:
The definite figures for April 2023 have been added and the provisional figures for December 2023 have been updated.

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).