Livestock production in the European Union is expected to decline across most categories in the second half of 2026, according to Eurostat, ProAgro Group reports.

Gross indigenous production of cattle in the EU is projected to fall to 11.4 million head, down by 0.5 million head (-4.2%) compared to the same period in 2025.

The decline will be even more pronounced for small ruminants. Goat numbers are expected to drop by 17.1% to 1.9 million head, while sheep numbers could decrease by 17.8% to 12.2 million head

In contrast, the pig sector is set to expand. Pig numbers are forecast to increase by 3.2%, reaching 61.2 million head in the fourth quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

France is expected to remain the largest beef producer in the EU, accounting for 23.1% of total production, with cattle numbers at 2.63 million head, only slightly down by 0.4% year-on-year.

A modest decline is also forecast in Germany (-0.6% to 1.7 million head), while Ireland is expected to see a sharper drop of 5.2%, down to 0.9 million head. Spain stands out as the only major producer expected to increase cattle production (+2.7% to 1.1 million head).

In the pig sector, Spain is projected to maintain its leading position with 15.8 million head in Q4 2026, representing 25.7% of the EU total and marking a 12% year-on-year increase. Growth is also expected in Germany (+3.8% to 9.5 million head), Denmark (+3.1% to 8.0 million), and France (+2.3% to 5.6 million).

At the same time, Spain will remain the largest sheep producer in the EU, despite a projected sharp decline of 40.4%, bringing numbers down to 2.3 million head in the second half of 2026. Greece, a key producer of goat meat, is expected to reduce its herd by 2.6%, to 0.8 million head.

Earlier, RaboResearch analysts noted that the global sow herd is likely to decline in 2026 as the sector continues to rebalance supply and demand.

Source: AgroPortal