1.1. Contact organisation
[4D0] European Commission (including Eurostat)
1.2. Contact organisation unit
[4D1_E1] Eurostat - Agriculture and fisheries
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
European Commission, Eurostat
L-2920, LUXEMBOURG
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
25 August 2026
2.2. Metadata last posted
25 August 2026
2.3. Metadata last update
25 August 2026
This dataset represents the share of main livestock types (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry and breeding female rabbits in total livestock units (LSU). It is part of the indicator on livestock patterns 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 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) influences livestock systems through a range of instruments that support viable farm incomes while contributing to environmental and climate objectives. Under the CAP 2023–2027, Member States implement interventions through their CAP Strategic Plans, including measures promoting sustainable grassland management, animal welfare, nutrient management and climate mitigation.
Livestock patterns are also relevant for a range of European Union policies addressing climate change, biodiversity, water and air quality, and sustainable food systems. They provide context for assessing progress towards environmental objectives of the Commission, including the implementation of environmental legislation such as the long-standing Nitrates Directive.
More recently, the Commission's initiatives under the Vision for Agriculture and Food, including work on the Livestock Strategy and the Protein Action Plan, aim to strengthen the long-term sustainability and resilience of livestock production, improve nutrient circularity, reduce environmental impacts and increase the production and use of sustainably produced protein sources within the EU. Data on livestock patterns provide important contextual information for monitoring these developments.
Further information to find in the Statistics explained article about livestock patterns.
4.1. Data description
This table shows the share of main livestock types in total livestock population expressed in livestock units (LSU) from 2005 onwards. Main livestock types comprise: cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry and breeding female rabbits. To allow comparability across 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 Norway, the United Kingdom until 2016 and for some years Iceland, Switzerland, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) on the level of agricultural holdings (farms) within the scope of Integrated Farm Statistics (IFS). The legal basis for IFS is Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.
Further information on the methodology is available in the metadata of the source dataset (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).
4.2. Unit of measure
Percentage of total livestock units (LSU)
4.3. Reference Period
Reference day within the reference year
4.4. Accuracy - overall
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).
4.5. Source data
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
European Statistical System (ESS)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
Data provider: Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat), Unit E1: Agriculture and fisheries.
Data source: Integrated farm statistics, table ef_fsi_lsk - Livestock units by animal groups and size classes of livestock units.
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every 3+ years5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
Farm structure data are collected from agricultural censuses every ten years and from sample surveys every 3 or 4 years in between. The time series available in this table is 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2020 and 2023. More information can be found in the metadata of the source dataset (see link in "Related metadata" at the end of the report).
5.2. Timeliness
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
> T+2 years5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
The deadlines for the transmission of IFS data are set by Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1091.
Results are disseminated following validation, confidentiality treatment and tabulation, around 2 years after the reference year.
6.1. Reference area
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
Data are presented for all EU Member States, plus Norway, and for the United Kingdom until 2016. For some years data are presented for Iceland, Switzerland, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
6.2. Comparability - geographical
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
> 75% EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
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).
6.3. Coverage - Time
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
This table covers data from 2005 onwards.
Generally, farm structure data have been collected since 1966. The online database is available from 1990 onwards. Historic data about the main livestock types from 1990-2007 are available in the dataset ef_ls_ovlsureg in Eurobase - Eurostat's dissemination database.
6.4. Comparability - over time
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
The implementation of the Integrated Farm Statistics (IFS) in 2020 introduced a division of the target population into two components: the ‘main frame’ includes agricultural holdings above physical thresholds defined in the legislation, while the ‘frame extension’ covers smaller holdings below these thresholds. In the legislative framework, data collection requirements for below-threshold units vary across time. This variability leads to gaps in data availability for the entire population of agricultural holdings and poses challenges for the comparability of results. To address this issue, an estimation procedure based on imputation techniques applied at the level of microdata has been developed to produce consistent estimates for below-threshold units where data are missing, which have been published in the Eurobase datasets under Farm structural indicators [ef_fsi]. More details about the estimation procedure can be found in the Statistics Explained article Farm structure - estimation of missing data.
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).
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
No publication
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
Eurobase table tai06 - Share of main livestock types in total livestock units (LSU) by NUTS 2 regions
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Statistics explained article about livetsock patterns in Eurostat's dedicated section on agri-environmental indicators.
Livestock patterns is one of a set of 28 indicators was developed by the Commission in close collaboration with Member States following the last Commission Communication on Agri-environmental indicators of 2006.
