This would represent a one percent decline compared to the same period in 2023, when the figure was 12.2 million animals, said the report, which details the possible decline across different subsectors.
According to Eurostat calculations, sheep production will fall by seven percent to 15.6 million head, while the decline in goats will fall by nine percentage points to 2.4 million head.
The organization also estimated possible declines in pig production, as it expects production to decline by one percent in the final quarter of 2024 compared to a similar period last year.
France is expected to maintain its status as the European Union's largest beef producer with 2.7 million head in the second half of 2024; while Spain will lead the pork department, the organization predicted.
Among countries in the region that reported goat farming, Greece is expected to be the biggest contributor, with one million goats in the second half of the year, Eurostat said.
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