First-half slaughter fell 9% year-on-year, with steer slaughter down 18%

Between January and June 2026, 6.02 million cattle were slaughtered, almost 9% fewer than the 6.61 million processed during the first half of 2025. Steers recorded the sharpest decline, with slaughter falling nearly 18%, twice the overall average. They were followed by cows and heifers, both down 9%, while young steers, the largest category, declined 8%.