Cattle, sheep, goat marketing drops in December

The marketing of cattle, sheep and goats saw a sharp decline in December 2024, while the slaughtering of pigs increased during the month compared to the same period in 2023.This is according to the Monthly Market Watch report for December issued by the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB) of Namibia.The report noted that total marketing of cattle dropped by 29.72% year-on-year, from 15 573 in December 2023 to 10 944 in December last year.On a year-on-year basis, live exports were 29.76% lower than in December 2023.On a monthly basis, exports decreased by 41.73% from 8 152 cattle exported in November to 4 751 exported in December 2024.The LLPB said South Africa absorbed the majority of cattle (weaner) exports from Namibia, while reduced quantities were exported to Zimbabwe and Botswana.SheepMeanwhile, total marketing of sheep decreased by 46.38%, from the 45 284 sheep marketed in December 2023 to 24 281 sheep marketed during December 2024.According to the LLPB, live exports decreased by 47.34% on a year-on-year basis.Furthermore, the report noted that export abattoir performance decreased by 31.88% on a year-on-year basis, while B&C class abattoir slaughtering also decreased by 40.97%, from 10 616 sheep slaughtered during December 2023 to 6 267 sheep slaughtered in December 2024.“Sheep marketing continues to be dominated by live exports," the report noted.The majority of live sheep exports (91.43%) were destined for South Africa, followed by Botswana (5.71%) and Zimbabwe (2.86%).Goats Furthermore, the total marketing of goats decreased by 38.32%, from 18 174 marketed in December 2023 to 11 209 in December 2024.During the period under review, 11 186 goats were exported live, compared to 17 710 in December 2023, representing a decrease of 36.84% on a year-on-year basis and an increase of 19.34% on a monthly basis.The LLPB said during the period under review, exports to South Africa made up 77.42% of total live goat exports, followed by Botswana (12.90%) and Zimbabwe (9.68%).Pigs Meanwhile, a total of 4 845 pigs were slaughtered in December 2024, marking an annual increase of 23.31% compared to the December 2023 figures on a year-on-year basis. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, pig slaughtering increased by 11.40% compared to 4 349 slaughtered during November 2024.The LLPB said imports of pork carcasses increased by 68.39%, from 16 951 kg imported in November 2024 to 28 543 kg during the period under review.Processed pork products (cooked and uncooked) recorded an increase of 1.56% on a month-to-month basis.During the period January to December 2024, 63% of total pork imports comprised of pork offal, followed by cooked pork and uncooked processed pork, which accounted for 21%, pork cuts at 12%, and pork carcasses at 4%.

Cattle, sheep, goat marketing drops in December

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-11

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Cattle, sheep, goat marketing drops in December

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-11

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