Bahrain’s livestock numbers surge by 85% in a decade

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain’s livestock numbers have risen sharply over the past decade, with the total number of animals recorded in 2024 reaching around 102,500.

This marks a rise from 55,300 in 2015, according to figures published by the government’s public data platform, showing an increase of 85.4 per cent across various types of farm animals.

Sheep continue to dominate. Their numbers climbed from 30,000 in 2016 to more than 63,000 in 2018 and have stayed near that level since.

The figures suggest steady demand for mutton in the local market, both for daily use and during seasonal periods.

Goats

Goats rose from 20,000 in 2016 to 25,000 in 2018. Since then, the count has remained between 24,000 and 25,000.

Cattle reached 7,000 in 2024, after shifting between 5,500 and 7,600 over the past ten years.

Horse numbers have stayed broadly stable.

They have ranged between 5,000 and 5,500, with 5,150 recorded in 2023.

Camels

Camels followed a similar pattern, holding at roughly 3,000 in most years.

One exception came in 2023, when the figure dropped to 31 before returning to the usual level in 2024.

Separate figures show little change in the number of chicken farms from 2015 to 2024, although broiler farms have consistently outnumbered those producing eggs.

Broiler farms

There were 17 broiler farms in 2024, compared with 21 in 2015 and again in 2020.

Layer farms dropped to two in the past three years, after reaching five in 2019 and 2020.

The gap is linked to the emphasis on local meat production, with broiler chickens playing a central role in the country’s food supply