Seoul: The number of beef cattle raised at South Korean farms saw a significant decrease in the second quarter compared to the previous year, largely due to a reduction in the number of calf-bearing cows, recent data revealed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, as of the end of June, South Korean farms reported a total of 3.4 million beef cattle, marking a 5.8 percent decline from the same period last year, based on figures compiled by Statistics Korea. The statistics also indicated a decrease in the number of milk cows, which fell by 1.9 percent year-on-year to 371,000, and a 1.5 percent drop in the pig population, bringing the total to 10.89 million.
Statistics Korea highlighted that these figures for beef cows, milk cows, and pigs have been gradually declining since the beginning of 2023. The report further detailed a 0.6 percent reduction in the number of layer chickens, which stood at 77.72 million, and a 2.2 percent decrease in broiler chickens, totaling 109.76 million during the same period.
In contrast to these downward trends, the number of ducks experienced a significant increase, rising by 9.5 percent to reach 10.44 million, according to the data.