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According to preliminary data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in the first half of 2021, 28.3 million pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses were slaughtered in commercial slaughterhouses in Germany. Including poultry, companies produced almost 3.8 million tons of meat, down 1.7% (-64,500 t) compared with the first half of 2020.
In the first half of 2021, German pork production reached 2.5 million t (-1.2%, -31,500 t compared to the same period of the previous year). Of particular note was the development in average slaughter weight per pig, which was 95.6 kg in 2019. In November and December 2020 in particular, slaughter weights increased sharply and peaked at 99.0 kg in January 2021. They have since declined again and fell to 96.6 kg in June 2021. The reason for the increase is likely due to the temporary closure or reduction in slaughterhouse capacity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some animals could not be slaughtered until later than usual, remaining longer in the barns and gaining weight.
Pork accounts for the largest share of meat production in Germany. In the first half of 2021, almost two-thirds (65.9%) of the meat produced was pork, followed by poultry (20.2%) and beef (13.5%). Sheep, goat, and horse meat accounted for only about 0.4% of total production. A long-term comparison shows a significant increase in poultry meat production since 2000. While pork production increased by less than a third (+30%) during this period, poultry production more than doubled (+109%).
August 16, 2021/ Destatis/ Germany.
https://www.destatis.de/
