Number of animals killed
Page updated: 19 August, 2024
1.2 billion land animals are killed for meat in the UK.
Over one billion fish and 4.4 billion shellfish.
Land animals
- Chickens – 1,153,000,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2023. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Turkeys – 9,000,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2023. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Sheep and Lambs – 14,415,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2022. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Pigs – 9,811,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2023. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Cattle – 2,793,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2023. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Ducks and Geese – 9,000,0001Agriculture in the UK, 2023. Chapter 8: Livestock – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Goats – 24,2912UK Food Standards Agency. Freedom of information request FOI 00395, 6 August 2024.
- Horses – 717*2UK Food Standards Agency. Freedom of information request FOI 00395, 6 August 2024.
- Deer – 84,5282UK Food Standards Agency. Freedom of information request FOI 00395, 6 August 2024.
- Rabbits – 23,343 (wild rabbits are processed in FSA-approved game handling premises and form part of the ‘small wild game in fur’ throughput category that includes rabbits, hares and rodents)2UK Food Standards Agency. Freedom of information request FOI 00395, 6 August 2024.
Aquatic animals
- Wild Fish – 1.5-2.7 billion (does not include bycatch)3Estimated numbers of individuals in average annual fish capture (FAO) by country fishing fleets (2007-2016): http://fishcount.org.uk/studydatascreens/2016/numbers-of-wild-fish-B0-2016.php
- Farmed Fish – 28-77 million4Estimated numbers of individuals in aquaculture production (FAO) of fish species (2017) https://fishcount.org.uk/studydatascreens2/2017/numbers-of-farmed-fish-B0-2017.php
- Shellfish – 4.4 billion (does not include bycatch)5Calculation based on tonnage by species as reported by MMO and Cefas and shellfish market sizes provided by FAO: https://animalclock.org/uk
*Until January 2022, retired racehorses were sent to slaughter for human consumption. This is no longer permitted so the number of horses killed for human consumption has fallen compared to previous years.
83 billion land animals are killed for meat and many trillions of fish and shellfish.
Land animals
- Chickens – 75,208,676,0001FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Turkeys – 515,228,0001FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Sheep and Lambs – 637,269,6881FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Pigs – 1,491,997,3601FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Cattle – 308,640,2521FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Ducks – 3,190,336,0001FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Goose and Guinea Fowl – 750,032,0001FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Goats – 504,135,8841FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Horses – 4,650,0171FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
- Rabbits – 533,489,0001FAOSTAT, 2024. https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
Aquatic animals
- Wild Fish – 1.1 to 2.2 trillion (excludes illegal fishing, discards and ghost fishing)2Mood A and Brooke P. 2024. Estimating global numbers of fishes caught from the wild annually from 2000 to 2019. Animal Welfare. 33, e6.
- Wild Shellfish – Many trillions
- Farmed Fish – 124 billion2Mood A and Brooke P. 2024. Estimating global numbers of fishes caught from the wild annually from 2000 to 2019. Animal Welfare. 33, e6.
- Farmed crustaceans – 253 to 605 billion3Numbers of farmed decapod crustaceans. https://fishcount.org.uk/fish-count-estimates-2/numbers-of-farmed-decapod-crustaceans
Introduction to Factory Farming
Whilst it is often claimed that the UK has some of the highest welfare standards in the world, the reality is far worse. Read our intro to factory farming.
Slaughter: how animals are killed
Every year in the UK around 1.2 billion land animals are slaughtered for human consumption. This includes over 1 billion chickens, 15 million turkeys, 14 million sheep, 2.8 million cattle, over 10 million pigs and almost 15 million sheep and lambs. In addition, almost one billion fish are killed and trillions of shellfish.
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