Switzerland sees near‑one‑third rise in cow slaughter amid drought

In June and July 2026 Swiss abattoirs processed about 70,000 cattle, a 15 % increase over the same period a year earlier. The rise was driven largely by cows, which were up 32.9 % – roughly 7,000 more heads – while heifers, bulls and calves saw smaller gains and beef cattle fell 7.3 %. Proviande, the industry body, attributed the surge to prolonged drought, reduced feed availability and a difficult milk market. Christophe Hutmacher, deputy communications director at Proviande, said the data are provisional but highlight the combined impact of weather and market conditions on slaughter rates.

The same dry conditions have spurred around 1,100 Swiss farms to file heat‑damage insurance claims with Hagel Schweiz, half of all claims received this year. The insurer noted that summer crops such as potatoes, maize, sugar beet and sunflowers are most affected, while winter cereals have fared better. The federal government’s premium‑subsidy scheme for frost and drought risk, covering about 2,500 farms, is also in place to mitigate further losses.