Portugal - Animal husbandry

The Alentejo region is Portugal's grazing heartland. In 2001, Portuguese livestock population estimates included 5,578,000 sheep, 2,338,000 hogs, and 1,414,000 head of cattle. There were 623,000 goats, 130,000 donkeys, 50,000 mules, 17,000 horses, 35 million chickens, and seven million turkeys in 2001. Mules and donkeys, as well as horses and oxen, often provide draft power for the farms. The main districts for cattle are northern and north-central Portugal; most of the sheep, goats, and pigs are raised in the central and southern sections. In 2001, Portugal's meat production included an estimated 343,000 tons of pork, 310,000 tons of poultry meat, 316,000 tons of beef and veal, and 1,300 tons of mutton. Other estimates for 2001 included 1,923,000 of milk, 125,000 tons of eggs, 76,500 tons of cheese, and 24,500 tons of butter.