Number of livestock and animal production

Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS)

Agriculture and Forestry Division - Unit for livestock and fishery statistics

Dragana Pogarčić

Head of Unit for livestock and fishery statistics

5 Milana Rakića, Belgrade

dragana.pogarcic@stat.gov.rs

+381 11 2412922 ext. 243

+381 11 2410397

During the providing data in use was Classification of Activities - KD (2010) ("Official Gazette of the RS", No104/09) based on classification NACE Rev.2 (Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community, Rev. 2);

The territorial division was carried out in accordance with the Regulation on the Nomenclature of Statistical Territorial Units ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia", No. 109/09 and 46/10).).

Livestock categories - by species, categories of slaughtering statistics and categories of meat production forecasts are given in Annex I, Annex IV and Annex V  of the Regulation (EC) No 1165/2008 of the EUROPEAN PARLIAMNET AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 November 2008, concerning livestock and meat statistics and repealing Council Directives 93/23/EEC, 93/24/EEC and 93/25/EEC.

   The data on number of livestock and number of beehives cover livestock and beehives on agricultural holdings.

    Data on slaughtering in slaughterhouses include slaughter in all registered slaughterhouses on the territory of the Republic of Serbia (358 as on 31 December 2023).

Livestock unit is a standard measurement unit by which the number of heads of various species and categories is reduced to a comparable value.  For calculating livestock unit until 2019 used are the coefficients published in the publications Agriculture on the Republic of Serbia – Census of Agriculture 2012 (Book II) and Revision of agricultural statistics time series, as well as in the database found at the SORS site. From 2020, the coefficients applied are in accordance with the Regulation (EU) no. 2018/1091 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 July 2018 on integrated agricultural statistics and repealing Regulation (EC) no. 1166/2008 and (EU) no. 1337/2011. The applied coefficients are given in the following table.

 Livestock unit coefficients

Bovine animals less than 1 year old - 0,400
Bovine animals 1 to less than 2 years old - 0,700
Bovine, male, 2 years old and over - 1,000
Heifers, 2 years old and over - 0,800
Dairy cows - 1,000
Non-dairy cows - 0,800
Sheep and goats - 0,100
Piglets, live weight of under 20 kg - 0,027
Breeding sows, live weight 50 kg and over - 0,500
Other pigs  - 0,300
Broilers  - 0,007
Laying hens  - 0,014
Turkeys  - 0,030
Ducks - 0,010
Geese - 0,020
Ostriches  - 0,350
Other poultry fowls n.e.c.  - 0,001
Rabbits, breeding females  - 0,020

Livestock balance represents the annual turnover of herd/flock, where changes in livestock number are registered. Data on imports and exports of livestock are published according to the special trade system.

Gross weight of livestock represents the weight of animals immediately before slaughtering.

Net/carcass weight of livestock represents the weight of slaughtered animals after the removal of certain parts, depending on livestock species and category, i.e. the weight of eviscerated slaughtered animal.

Livestock increase represents the production of live weight of animals throughout the year, as a result of livestock breeding, growth and fattening. It includes:

• weight difference of live animals at the end and the beginning of the year;
• weight difference between imported and exported livestock;
• total gross weight of slaughtered livestock in the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Milk production is presented as net value. Milk directly suckled is excluded, however milk obtained by milking (including colostrum) and used for animal feed is included.

Мeat production represents the net weight of slaughtered animals from domestic production (total slaughtering in the territory of the Republic of Serbia – imports of live animals + exports of live animals) with the deduction of raw fats.

Raw fats include fatty tissue, bacon and tallow deposited around intestines. Suet around kidneys is not included in raw fats.

Statistical units are agricultural holdings and slaughterhouses.

The target group is all agricultural holdings engaged in livestock breeding and active slaughterhouses.

Reference area is the Republic of Serbia.

Notes: Since 1999 Statistical Office of the Republic Of Serbia does not answer for  the specific data for AP Kosovo and Metohija and these data  are not included in the coverage for the Republic of Serbia (total)

Last available data relate to 2023.

Not applicable.

The number of livestock heads, by species and categories, is displayed.

The data on the quantity of milked milk are published in millions of liters, unless otherwise stated in the table.

Data on the increase and production of meat are published in thousands of tons.

Data on egg production are published in millions of pieces.

Data on wool and honey production are published in tons.

  GIP meat forecast data are published in thousands of heads.

The number of livestock refers to the  state as of 1 December  of the observed year.

The reference period for data on livestock production is for the last 12 months until 1 December.

  The number of pigs is monitored in the semi-annual periodicity, i.e. except with the state on 1 December, it is also monitored with the state on 23 May.

Data are provided on the basis of the Law on Official Statistics ("Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia", No. 104/09), the Regulation on the Establishment of the Official Statistics Plan for the Reference Year,), Regulation (EC) No.1165 and the Cooperation Agreement between Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (MoA) and SORS - Annex 1, signed on 14 January 2014.

Relevant data represent the official statistics and are used to meet all national and international needs (Eurostat, FAO).

Individual data are the official statistical data and as such are confidential and subject to special protection, which is provided in all phases of  research. Confidentiality of individual data is guaranteed by the Law on official statistics. Any abuse of official statistics for misdemeanor charges, in accordance with the Law.

Individual data are published only in aggregated form.

The data are published on the SORS website, as well as in the monthly (Monthly Statistical Bulletin) and the annual publication of the SORS (Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Serbia).

Publications Calendar for the relevant year is published on the website of the SORS  and can be accessed via the following link:  https://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/calendar

Data are available to all users on equal terms, in electronic or printed form, free. Further, special data processing for specific users requirements is possible.  Method of utilization and of dissemination data produced by SORS is governed by the Rulebook on the use and dissemination of data produced by the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, which was adopted by the SORS Director, in accordance with the Law on Official Statistics and the Law on State Administration ("Official Gazette" no. 79/05).

Data on slaughter in slaughterhouses and estimated data on slaughter out of slaughterhouses are published in the monthly periodicity. All other data are published annually.

News release is not scheduled.

Published data  on the site database can be accessed via the following link:  

http://data.stat.gov.rs/?caller=SDDB

The data are available to users only in aggregated form, in accordance with the law.

Data transmission to Eurostat is done by web form. Data  for FAO are transmitted in the form of excel tables by e-mail. There are no other forms of dissemination.

Extract of the methodology as well as document Animal Production Statistics -  Methodological Report  are published on SORS website:

https://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/istrazivanja/methodology-and-documents/?a=13&s=1302

The contents of the questionnaires can also be accessed through the same link.

For information on Quality Reports see section Quality assurance.

Data quality can be assessed as good for the level of the Republic of Serbia.

Considering that in 2023 the regular annual - December Survey on agricultural production - animal production was not conducted due to the realization of the Census of Agriculture 2023, below are the coefficients of variation for the main variables based on the results of the December survey conducted in 2022, as well as sampling rates for 2022.

Coefficients of Variation (CV) for the main variables are given in the next table:

                                                               Coefficients of Variation for the main variables

For calculating estimates and standard errors Swedish software ETOS is used.

Sampling rates are given in table in continuation:

                                                                Sampling rates 2022

Control of the coverage of agricultural holdings in the sample is performed in the SORS regional departments or centralized, where the controlled data entry is performed.

Records of slaughtering in slaughterhouses are provided by controlled entry of monthly reports of veterinary inspection (MoA) through a web application.

There is no record of the number of mistakes that are identified in further control.

Monthly data on slaughter in slaughterhouses are available 45 days after the reference month, and 120 days after the reference month data on slaughter out of slaughterhouses.

Previous results on the number of cattle are available for 76 days from the critical moment of the survey (1 December). Final data on the number of  livestock and livestock production are available 121 days from the critical moment of the December survey.

Data on the number of pigs in May / June survey are available 38 days after the critical moment of this survey (23 May).

All phases in providing data are carried out on a timely basis, including data publishing.

The data are comparable.

There are no other relevant statistics.

Statistical data within the data set are consistent.

General policy revision was adopted by the institution, it is available on the SORS website and can be accessed via the following link:

http://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/o-nama/dokumenti

Data revision was not applied in reference year.

Data on the number of livestock by species and categories and number of beehives from which honey was extracted, as well as data on milk, wool, eggs and honey production are obtained through the December Survey on agricultural production - animal production. This survey also provides data on the structure of slaughtering outside slaughterhouses by categories and months, and it is the basis for the calculation of animal production in the reference year.
The Survey on agricultural production - animal production was not carried out in 2023 due to the implementation of the Census of Agricultural 2023. The data on the number of livestock for 2023 as of December 1, as well as data on animal production, were estimated on the basis of the results of the census, the results of the December survey from previous years, other available data in the field of animal production and administrative sources.

Total slaughter of livestock is estimated on the basis of the annual livestock balance calculation:

1. Number of cattle at the beginning of the year +

2. Breeding +

3. Import +

4. Export -

5. Perished -

6. Number of livestock at the end of the year -

The difference between the total slaughter of livestock and slaughter of livestock in slaughterhouses is the slaughter of livestock out of slaughterhouses. Applying the slaughtering structure obtained by the Survey on agricultural production - animal production, slaughter of livestock out of slaughterhouses by categories and months is calculated, too.

Data on slaughter of livestock in slaughterhouses are obtained from administrative sources (records of the Veterinary Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management).

The forecast of slaughter of livestock out of slaughterhouses by categories and months is based on the following calculation: from the average value (last three years) of total slaughtering (number of heads) of a particular category of livestock in a given month, the number of heads of that category slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the observed month is subtracted. Applying the last three-year average of net weight of slaughtered livestock out of slaughterhouses, the total net weight of slaughtered heads out of slaughterhouses of the appropriate category in the observed month is obtained, too.

The forecast of gross domestic production of meat is calculated using the coefficients (relation between realized gross domestic production and the number of certain livestock  category from the previous year) and the most recent data on the number of that livestock category.

Data on the number of pigs are obtained through the implementation of the Survey on number of pigs (May / June), which provides data on the number of pigs in the semi-annual periodicity.

Data on imports and exports of livestock  provide foreign trade statistics.

 The Survey on agricultural production – animal production and the Survey on the number of pigs are carried  out in  the annual periodicity.

 Data on livestock slaughter in slaughterhouses are provided in the monthly periodicity.

 Data on export and import of livestock are available in monthly and annual periodicity.

 Slaughtering out of slaughterhouses is provided in the monthly and annual periodicity.

The GIP meat forecast  is provided in the annual periodicity, for: cattle (for the next four semesters) and sheep (2 next semesters). The GIP of pig meat is  provided in the semi-annual periodicity for the next four quarters.

Survey on agricultural production - animal production is carried out in period 2-16 December, on the sample size 1.5-2% of agricultural holdings. Data collection is carried out by interview method (through printed questionnaires - on the field, by telephone - centralized) and by post - for holdings of legal entities. Controlled data entry is done by 15 January. Data processing, analysis and production of preliminary results is carried out until 14 February. After the announcement of the previous results (14 February), further processing of data and calculation of animal production is carried out by 1 April, when the final data on livestock number and animal production for the reference year are published.

Survey on agriculture production - animal production in 2022 was conducted by telephone - centralized  (CATI method) for family and entrepreneurial holdings (not through printed questionnaires - in the field, PAPI method),   and for legal entities survey was conducted by post (POST method) and web (CAWI method).   Sample size was only 1.3% of agricultural holdings, which, along with non-response, has the effect of increasing the value of Coefficient of Variation for the main variables, i.e. less precision.

The Survey on the number of pigs is conducted from 24 May to 7 June, by interview method, by telephone (CATI method). Implemented sample size is around 1% of agricultural holdings. Data processing and analysis is carried out by the end of June, when the data are published.

Regional Offices of the Veterinary Administration of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (MoA), through the application on the web, send monthly reports on slaughter in slaughterhouses located in the territory they control, by the 20th of the month for the previous month. The application was created in .net technology in the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 database. The SORS takes over data, processes and publishes data.

In order to provide data on the export and import of goods, the SORS  takes over the Uniform Administrative Document ready for automatic data processing from the Republic Customs Administration by the 15th of the month for the previous month, and carries out further statistical control and processing. Monthly external trade data are available by the 30th of the month for the previous month, and the final annual data by 15 July for the previous year.

Transformation of some data for the purpose of sending data to Eurostat is done as shown in the next table:

                                Transformation of data for the transmission to Eurostat

No note.