German meat production remained relatively stable in the first half of 2025, according to data from the statistics agency Destatis. The number of German slaughters increased slightly, while the number of international slaughters decreased. Meanwhile, the number of cattle slaughters is under significant pressure, while the number of poultry slaughters increased slightly.
In the first half of 2025, commercial slaughterhouses in Germany produced nearly 3,4 million tons of meat. This is 0,1% less than in the same period a year earlier, a decrease of approximately 1.900 tons, according to preliminary figures from the German statistical office Destatis. A total of 23,9 million pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, and horses, and 346,1 million chickens, turkeys, and ducks were slaughtered.
Number of slaughters rises, but imports fall sharply
The number of German pig slaughters rose slightly in the first six months of 2025. During this period, 22,1 million pigs were slaughtered, an increase of 0,7% (156.900 animals) compared to the same period a year earlier. Of these pigs, 98,2% (21,7 million animals) were of domestic origin. This number was 2,3% higher than last year, an increase of 486.600 animals.
The number of pigs of foreign origin slaughtered decreased by 44,8% (329.700 animals) to 406.000, representing a share of 1,8%. The decrease is partly due to the fact that more pigs are being slaughtered in the Netherlands due to the declining livestock population. German pork production totaled 2025 million tons in the first half of 2,1. Due to the higher slaughter weight, meat production increased more sharply than the slaughter figure: an increase of 1,8% compared to the previous year, or 38.100 tons.
Cattle production declines significantly
Unlike pork production, beef production declined sharply in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. Farms slaughtered 1,4 million cattle, 7,9% fewer than in the same period last year (a decrease of 117.300 animals). The volume of beef produced was 462.200 tons, 7,2% less than a year earlier (a decrease of 36.100 tons). The average slaughter weight of cattle was just under 339,6 kilograms, approximately 2,5 kilograms more than in the same period last year.
In the first half of 2025, a total of 346,1 million poultry were slaughtered in Germany. Although the number of slaughtered animals increased slightly by 0,6%, poultry meat production amounted to approximately 779.900 tons. This is 0,1% less than in the same period last year, a decrease of 790 tons.
Pig market remains by far the largest
Despite changing consumer preferences, which generally don't benefit the pig sector, it remains by far the largest. In the first half of 2025, 63,2% of total meat production came from slaughtered pigs. Poultry followed with a share of 23,0%, while beef accounted for 13,6%. Sheep, goat, and horse meat accounted for only about 0,3% of total production.