Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union

E1: Agriculture and fisheries

European Commission, Eurostat
L-2920, LUXEMBOURG

This table represents the share of main livestock types (cattle, equidae (animals of the horse family), sheep, goats, pigs and poultry) in total livestock units (LSU) on agricultural land. It is part of the indicator on livestock pattern of the Agri-environmental indicators (AEIs) of the European Union (EU) which track the integration of environmental concerns into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) at EU, national and regional levels.

Livestock patterns help to interpret the relation between agricultural livestock production and the environment by describing the types and numbers of animals raised in an area. The impacts of livestock farming on natural resources (soil, water and air) and delivery of ecosystem services (water and air quality, etc.) vary depending on the intensity of farming. Extensive grazing can contribute to high landscape and habitat diversity of pastoral farming systems, which remain particularly important in the mountainous regions of Europe. Extensively managed permanent grassland with low grazing livestock densities provide habitats for many specialised plant and animal species. However, if the grazing livestock density it too low, it entails a risk of land abandonment which may result in the loss of environmental diversity. Intensive livestock systems with high grazing livestock density on the other hand can lead to overgrazing with increased risks of soil erosion and nutrient surpluses from manure resulting in water and air pollution.

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) consist of several instruments that affect livestock patterns in different ways. The CAP-reform in 2003 led to an increase in farm specialisation and a move from mixed livestock farms to farms focusing on one livestock species. With regard to livestock farms with land, the grazing livestock stocking rate per hectare decreased in almost all types of farms. This extensification may however only be apparent, since the greater increase in agricultural area for fodder crops (compared with the variation in livestock units) may conceal the substitution of animal feed purchased outside the farm with animal feed crops produced on the farm (choice determined by the change in relative prices).

Under the 2013 CAP reform, the so called "Greening" introduced environmental obligations for farmers and Member States. One of them is to maintain permanent grassland, for carbon sequestration and biodiversity, which can indirectly influence livestock levels through providing grazing/fodder areas.

Rural development measures funded by the CAP also influence livestock pattern. This can be as well directly as indirectly through funding productive investments (which subsidies equipment and infrastructure needed for intensification), agri-environmental-climate payments, animal welfare payments or compensations to farmers in Natura 2000 areas which usually imposed a maximum livestock density.

The Nitrates Directive provides a general framework for livestock farming through the designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and through the rules on spreading of manure to minimise nutrient leaching and its environmental consequences.

Livestock has an impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The EU Effort Sharing Legislation (Regulation (EU) 2018/842) sets targets for the reduction of GHG emissions from a number of sectors, including agriculture. The Directive (EU) 2016/2284 on the reduction of national emissions of certain atmospheric pollutants and the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) set limits for nitrogen oxides and ammonia (NH₃) emissions for EU countries; livestock production is the main source for NH₃ emissions.

Finally, national policies (e.g. support to biogas productions), as well as global markets and international trade policies can influence livestock patterns.

Further information to find in the Statistics explained article about livestock patterns.

This table shows the share of main livestock types in total livestock popultation expressed in livestock units (LSU) on agricultural land by NUTS 2 regions from 2005 onwards. Main livestock types comprise: cattle, equidae (animals of the horse family), sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. To allow comparability accross livestock categories, animal populations (usually measured in number of heads) are converted in livestock units (LSU). One LSU is the grazing equivalent of one adult dairy cow.

The data are collected by the Member States (plus the United Kingdom and for some years Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and North Macedonia) on the level of agricultural holdings (farms) within the scope of the Farm structure survey (FSS). The legal basis for the FSS from 2010 onwards is Regulation (EC) No 1166/2008 of 19 November 2008 on farm structure surveys and the survey on agricultural production methods, which repealed Council Regulation (EEC) No 571/1988.

Further information on the methodology is available in the FSS metadata and in the Integrated farm statistics manual — 2020 edition.

Percentage of total livestock units (LSU)

Calendar year

The indicator is produced according to the high-level quality standards of European Statistics. Details on accuracy can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).

European Statistical System (ESS)

Data provider: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat), Unit E1: Agriculture and fisheries

Data source: Farm structure survey (FSS)

• data from 2013 onwards: table ef_lsk_main - Main livestock indicators by NUTS 2 regions
• data from 2005-2013: table ef_olslsureg - Livestock: number of farms and heads of animals by livestock units (LSU) of farm and NUTS 2 regions

Every 3+ years

The Farm structure survey (FSS) is carried out basically every 3-4 years as a sample survey, and once in ten years as a census. The time series available in this table is 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016; planned update foreseen for 2020 and 2023. More information can be found in the metadata of the source datasets (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).

> T+2 years

All EU MS

Data are presented for all EU Member States, plus the United Kingdom and for some years Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and North Macedonia.

> 75% EU MS

Comparability across countries is considered to be high.

Further details on comparability can be found in the metadata of the source dataset (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).

> 10 years

This table covers data from 2005 onwards.

Generally, the Farm structure survey (FSS) has been carried out since 1966. The online database is available from 1990 onwards. Historic data about the main livestock types from 1997-2007 are available in the data set ef_ls_ovlsureg in Eurobase - Eurostat's dissemination database.

> 4 data points

Details on comparability can be found in the metadata of the source dataset (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).

No publication

Eurobase table tai06 - Share of main livestock types in total livestock units (LSU) by NUTS 2 regions

Statistics explained article about livetsock patterns in Eurostat's dedicated section on agri-environmental indicators.