Based on the livestock census of 1 December 2012, the number of pigs – following three years of decrease – slightly rose in the past six months. The cattle stock has grown continuously for three years. The stock of poultry changed in line with seasonality.

On 1 December 2012, the number of cattle was 753,000, 59,000 more than in December 2011 and 20,000 more than the survey in June 2012. The cow stock (336,000) was up by 9,000 over a year. The cattle stock has fallen by 17,000 or two per cent while the number of cows by 26,000 or seven per cent since December 2002.

The number of pigs was 2,956,000 on 1 December 2012, 43,000 more than in June in the same year and 69,000 fewer or two per cent fewer than a year earlier. The number of pigs exceeded 5.0 million 10 years ago but it has been below 3.0 million since June 2012. The number of breeding sows - 198,000 - was down by 12,000 over 12 months.

The number of chickens was 30 million in December, 2.8 million or eight per cent fewer than one year earlier. Compared to 1 June 2012, the stock decreased by 4.6 million or 13 per cent. Laying hens numbered 12.1 million, which was 334,000 or three per cent and 1.8 million (18 per cent) more than one year and six months earlier, respectively.

The goose stock reduced by 105,000 or nine per cent over the last year, and their number was 1.1 million on 1 December 2012. The stock of ducks was 4.2 million, 194,000 or four per cent lower than in December 2011. The turkey stock was 2.8 million, 200,000 or seven per cent fewer than a year before.

The sheep stock was 1.1 million and the number of ewes was 836,000 on 1 December 2012 - 66,000 and 15,000 more, respectively, than in December 2011.

The stock of horses was 76,000, 2,000 more than one year earlier; within which the mare stock decreased by 1,000 to 40,000.

Goats numbered 88,000 at the beginning of December, 8,000 (10 per cent) more than a year before.