Livestock represents the number of animals by cateries raised in the agricultural holding during the calndar year.

The assessment of the number of livestock is based in changes stock for each category of: cattle, sheep, goat and pig.

The assessment of the cow’s milk production is performed based on the average annual number resulting from the changes in this sector and average output of the milk cow calculated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The same line of work is followed to calculate milk production from sheep and goat.

The evaluation for the meat production for each category is based on changes of livestock, thus the number of stock eliminated and average weight on the stock slaughtered.

The terms "cattle" and "poultry" are used in a very broad sense, covering all animals regardless of their age, location, their breeding purpose for racial improvement or livestock products.

In this category are included animals such as: Cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, equidae and bees.

This category excludes all domestic animals which do not grow for the purposes of agricultural activity.

Livestock products include: production of meat live weight, milk production, egg production, honey and wool production.

Legal basis

• Law No.17/2018 on Official Statistics;

• Official Statistics Program 2022 – 2026

Main variables:

• Livestock farms by type.
• Livestock number by categories.
• Meat live weight production.
• Milk production by categories.
• Other livestock products.

Sources for updating variables

For the production of livestock statistics, the information provided by various statistical and administrative sources is used. Data could be a result of surveys conducted from INSTAT (monthly and annual surveys) or administrative data from Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration.

Definitions

Agricultural and livestock holding means a single unit, both technically and economically, under a single management and breeds animals as listed below:

1. Cattle refers to domestic animals of the species Bos Taurus, including the hybrid race as Beefalo.
2. A pig is a domesticated animal of the species Sus. A distinction is made between pigs, piglets, fattening pigs and breeding pigs.
3. Sheep are domesticated animals of the species Ovis aries kept in flocks mainly for their wool or meat.
4. Goat, in the context of European Union (EU) statistics, refers to domestic animals of the subspecies Capra aegagrus hircus.
5. Poultry, in the context of European Union (EU) statistics, refers to domestic birds of the species: Gallus gallus (hens and chickens), Meleagris spp. (turkeys), Anas spp. and Cairina moschata (ducks), Anser anser dom. (geese), Coturnix spp. (quails), Phasianus spp. (pheasants), Numida meleagris dom. (guineafowl), Columbinae spp. (pigeons), Struthio camelus (ostriches). It excludes, however, birds raised in confinement for hunting purposes and not for meat production.

Number of heads (animals): Represents the number of heads of the animals for each specie: cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, equidae, poultry, divided by categories, sex and economic destination, which are in stock of the agricultural holding on the first day of survey.

Reference period: The reference period for livestock is 1 December of each year.

For livestock products reference period is calendar year: 1 December of current year – 30 November of previous year.

Classification

Livestock classification is done by type (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and equidae), age, sex and economic purpose. Poultry are grouped together and include: chicken, African chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks etc.

1. Cattle, sheep, and goats are classified by age, sex and economic purpose.
2. A cow is a female bovine that has calved (including any aged less than 2 years).
3. A dairy cow is a cow kept exclusively or principally for the production of milk for human consumption and/or other dairy produce, including cows for slaughter (whether fattened or not between last lactation and slaughter).
4. Milk Ewe: Sheep kept exclusively or mainly for the production of milk for human consumption and / or for the purpose of processing it in dairy products.
5. Milk goats: Goats kept exclusively or mainly for the production of milk for human consumption and / or for the purpose of processing it in dairy products.
6. Pigs are classified according to their live weight.
7. Poultry are classified in: poultry for egg production for human consumption and poultry for meat production.
8. Equidae – total.
9. Beehives – total number of hives is given. Each hive represents a colony.

Definition of livestock products:

Meat live weight production: The estimate for the production of meat live weight is carried out for each type of animals. Calculation of meat live weight production is based on the calculations made by the livestock movement, i.e. in the number of culled cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry by slaughtering categories, and the average live weight for slaughtered heads by type and categories of slaughter.

Milk production:

Milk production includes milk from: cows, sheep and goats.

Milk production includes all milk produced exclusively for human consumption or for the production of milk products such as cheese, butter, yoghurt in farm or dairies.

Milk which is milked by hand or milking machine and given to calves is included in milk production.

Note: The milk that calves suckle directly from the cows is not included in milk production. This is calculated as a gain meat live weight.

Egg production: included eggs that are produced for human consumption are included. Eggs produced in agricultural units, poultry farms and those from Agro-industry are all included.

Honey production, includes all the honey produced by each hive.

Wool production: includes wool produced from sheep and goats