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* 3,752
Cattle (total) 2023 December* 3,723
Young cattle for milk (total) 2023 April* 991
Young cattle for milk (total) 2023 December* 996
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2023 April* 455
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, female 2023 December* 441
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2023 April* 41
Young cattle for milk, < 1 year, male 2023 December* 49
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2023 April* 416
Young cattle for milk, 1-2 years, female 2023 December* 421
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* 75
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2023 April* 1,577
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2023 December* 1,546
Veal calves (total) 2023 April* 928
Veal calves (total) 2023 December* 952
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2023 April* 337
Calves for rosé meat (< 1 year) 2023 December* 330
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2023 April* 591
Calves for white meat (< 1 year) 2023 December* 622
Young cattle for meat (total) 2023 April* 190
Young cattle for meat (total) 2023 December* 170
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* 37
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2023 April* 25
Young cattle for meat >= 2 years, female 2023 December* 24
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* 836
Sheep (total) 2023 December* 662
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2023 April* 286
Sheep 0 to 7 months 2023 December* 89
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* 189
Other sheep older than 1 year 2023 April* 426
Other sheep older than 1 year 2023 December* 344
Rams >= 7 months 2023 April* 25
Rams >= 7 months 2023 December* 25
Goats (total) 2023 April* 647
Goats (total) 2023 December* 561
Goats 0 to 7 months 2023 April* 133
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* 94
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2023 April* 458
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2023 December* 413
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* 86,943
Chickens (total) 2023 December* .
Laying hens (total) 2023 April* 42,252
Laying hens (total) 2023 December* .
Laying hens for rearing 2023 April* 9,734
Laying hens for rearing 2023 December* .
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2023 April* 26,579
Laying hens for production (< 20 months) 2023 December* .
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2023 April* 5,939
Laying hens for production (>=20 months) 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2023 April* 1,453
Breeding stock for laying hens (total) 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2023 April* 295
Breeding stock for laying hens, rearing 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2023 April* 1,158
Breeding stock for laying hens prod. 2023 December* .
Broilers 2023 April* 36,359
Broilers 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2023 April* 6,879
Breeding stock for broilers (total) 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2023 April* 2,547
Breeding stock for broilers, rearing 2023 December* .
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2023 April* 4,332
Breeding stock for broilers; production 2023 December* .
Ducks for slaughter 2023 April* 454
Ducks for slaughter 2023 December* .
Turkeys 2023 April* 530
Turkeys 2023 December* .
Pigs (total) 2023 April* 10,854
Pigs (total) 2023 December* 10,471
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2023 April* 1,969
Piglets < 20 kg, still with the sow 2023 December* 1,876
Young pigs < 50 kg 2023 April* 4,568
Young pigs < 50 kg 2023 December* 4,126
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 February 15, 2024:
The provisional figures for April have been updated and December 2023 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).