For Growth on the Earth

Decline in livestock number

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 year20172018Changes, % (2018, compared to 2017)
Cattle405,8395,3-2,6
dairy cows150,4144,5-3,9
Pigs320,6304,9-4,9
Sheep112,2107,3-4,4
Goats12,812,2-4,1
Horses8,98,4-5,3
Poultry4943,85403,19,3
laying hens2515,12996,919,2


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 products20172018Changes, % (2018, compared to 2017)
Meat(slaughter weight), thousand tonnes91,291,30,1
beef and veal18,517,5-5,3
pork38,138,92,1
mutton and goat0,917
poultry33,633,90,8
Milk (incl. Goat milk), thousand tonnes1000,1982,9-1,7
Eggs, million pieces800,7768,5-4


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