Provisional data of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2018, compared to 2017, cattle number dropped by 10.5 thousand or 2.6 %, of which number of dairy cows fell by 5.9 thousand or 3.9 %.
African swine fever resulted in a decline in the pig number of 15.7 thousand or 4.9 %. Number of sheep reduced as well (by 4.9 thousand or 4.4 %), as did the number of goats (by 0.5 thousand or 4.1 %) and number of horses (0.5 thousand or 5.3 %).
Increase was recorded in the number of poultry – of 459.3 thousand or 9.3 %, of which number of laying hens rose by 481.8 thousand or 19.2 %.
| Number of livestock at the end of year | 2017 | 2018 | Changes, % (2018, compared to 2017) |
| Cattle | 405,8 | 395,3 | -2,6 |
| dairy cows | 150,4 | 144,5 | -3,9 |
| Pigs | 320,6 | 304,9 | -4,9 |
| Sheep | 112,2 | 107,3 | -4,4 |
| Goats | 12,8 | 12,2 | -4,1 |
| Horses | 8,9 | 8,4 | -5,3 |
| Poultry | 4943,8 | 5403,1 | 9,3 |
| laying hens | 2515,1 | 2996,9 | 19,2 |
Meat production in Latvia has grown slightly – 91.3 thousand tonnes of meat were produced in 2018, which is 0.1 thousand tonnes or 0.1 % more than in 2017. The most significant increase was observed in the output of mutton and goat meat (of 7 %), pork (2.1 %) and poultry (0.8 %). Output of beef and veal, in turn, dropped by 5.3 %.
| Output of livestock products | 2017 | 2018 | Changes, % (2018, compared to 2017) |
| Meat(slaughter weight), thousand tonnes | 91,2 | 91,3 | 0,1 |
| beef and veal | 18,5 | 17,5 | -5,3 |
| pork | 38,1 | 38,9 | 2,1 |
| mutton and goat | 0,9 | 1 | 7 |
| poultry | 33,6 | 33,9 | 0,8 |
| Milk (incl. Goat milk), thousand tonnes | 1000,1 | 982,9 | -1,7 |
| Eggs, million pieces | 800,7 | 768,5 | -4 |
In 2018, compared to 2017, number of exported live cattle increased by 11.3 thousand heads or 23.1 %. Calves aged under 8 months constituted 32 % of the total number of cattle exported (37.4 % in 2017). Number of imported cattle fell by 1.5 thousand or 26 %.
Compared to 2017, exports of live pigs increased by 48.5 thousand or 26.9 %. Out of the total number of pigs exported, piglets for fattening constituted 33.9 % (56.5 % in 2017). Number of imported pigs fell by 5.8 thousand or 20 %.
In 2018, 982.9 thousand tonnes of milk (incl. goat milk) were produced, which is 17.2 thousand tonnes or 1.7 % less than in 2017. The decline in milk output was influenced by the reduction in dairy cow number (of 5.9 thousand or 3.9 %). Average milk yield per dairy cow rose by 89 kg or 1.4 % reaching 6 614 kg annually.
Slight rise in milk output was recorded in Latgale region (of 0.9 thousand tonnes or 0.5 %), while the largest milk output decline was registered in Zemgale region (8.0 thousand tonnes or 3.9 %).
In 2018, compared to 2017, volume of purchased milk reduced by 4 %. The average purchase price of milk fell by 7.4 % – from 306 EUR/t in 2017 to 283 EUR/t in 2018. The lowest milk purchase price was recorded in May (268 EUR/t) and the highest in January (307 EUR/t).
Source: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia
