France slaughter carcass weight: adult cattle
France slaughter carcass weight: adult cattle stood at 86.08 thousand tonnes in Aug 2026, according to Eurostat – slaughtering in slaughterhouses, monthly (apro_mt_pheadm), Agreste. It is one of the indicators in the Livestock production (monthly) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1964 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Livestock production (monthly) table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult cattle3 | 86.08 | 89.13 | 90.57 | 82.16 | 95.02 | 97.68 | 87.78 | 92.2 | 98.54 | 91.94 | |
| Bullocks and bulls | 33.53 | 32.76 | 36.54 | 31.73 | 34.25 | 35.57 | 29.84 | 28.97 | 32.64 | 30.25 | |
| Cows | 37.35 | 40.15 | 37.34 | 34.17 | 41.87 | 42.97 | 41.94 | 46.49 | 47.87 | 44.83 |
Understanding france slaughter carcass weight: adult cattle
This measure totals the meat yield derived exclusively from mature cattle processed in commercial abattoirs, quantified through dressed carcass weight. The scope encompasses fully grown breeding stock, dairy culls, and finished slaughter animals that have reached skeletal maturity, while strictly omitting younger calves and immature stock. By focusing on adult animals, the series captures the heavy-weight segment of the bovine supply chain, reflecting decisions tied to dairy herd replacement and beef breeding cycles. It stands apart from juvenile breakdowns by reflecting the terminal phase of mature herd management.
Interpreting the monthly trajectory requires accounting for regular cyclical variations driven by pasture availability and feedlot marketing windows. Initial statistical releases depend on timely plant reporting and face routine revisions when late administrative returns are integrated. Analysts find year-on-year comparisons more informative than consecutive-month changes, as the latter are prone to calendar anomalies and holiday disruptions in processing plants. Comparing these weights directly to head counts requires factoring in fluctuations driven by average animal fatness and age at slaughter.
Frequently asked questions
- What distinguishes adult cattle from other bovine categories in this dataset?
- It includes only fully mature animals that have completed their growth cycle, excluding all calves and young developing stock.
- Are dairy cows culled from milking herds included in this weight?
- Yes, mature females removed from dairy production and sent to slaughter are counted within this adult classification.
- Why must consecutive monthly comparisons be handled carefully?
- Varying plant operating days and routine holiday closures create artificial swings that obscure actual shifts in production.