This section covers production animals belonging to or reared by the holding on September 30 of the reference year, including transhumant livestock and livestock under an integration regime or contract. An integration regime is considered to be any type of contract that entails a dependence on supplies, animals, fodder and sales. It therefore includes vertical integration, with private companies, and horizontal or cooperative integration.

The animals are not necessarily the property of the holder. Animals may be on the agricultural holding (on utilised agricultural areas or in animal housing used by the agricultural holding) or off it (on common grazings or in the course of transhumance, etc.).

The following animal species (and their classifications) are therefore included in the census: bovine animals, sheep and goats, pigs, poultry, rabbits, bees and other animals, such as deer for the production of meat, fur animals and livestock not classified in other species.

Excludes:

- Pets and other animals not used in production or not used for income-generating activities, i.e. used only for the holder’s own family leisure purposes.
- Animals in transit, such as females being transported for mating.
- Animals transferred to another holding by virtue of a contract or rental agreement.
- Aquatic animals, fish, batrachians and reptiles.

Livestock holdings with no animals on September 30 of the reference year due to temporary stoppages in the production cycle (regular sanitary cleaning of animal housing, epidemics, etc.) shall also be considered. On these holdings, the number of animals present just before this temporary stoppage shall be recorded.

The species and classifications of animals considered in the statistical operation are as follows:

Bovine animals

Includes heads of cattle, buffaloes, aurochs, bison and hybrids, classified into:

- Bovine animals less than 1 year old: Heads of male and female bovine animals under 1 year old. Includes:

• Calves (bovine animals aged 8 months or under), regardless of whether they are kept for milk or meat production.
• Young cattle (bovine animals over 8 months but less than 1 year old), regardless of whether they are kept for milk or meat production.

- Bovine animals, 1 to less than 2 years old: Heads of male bovine animals and heifers, 1 to less than 2 years old, which have not yet calved.

- Bovine animals, 2 years old and over: Includes heads of male bovine animals and heifers which have not yet calved, even if they were pregnant on the reference date.

- Cows: Heads of female bovine animals which have already calved, even if they are under 2 years old. They are classified into:

• Dairy cows: cows which, by reason of their breed or suitability, are kept exclusively or primarily to produce milk for human consumption or for processing into dairy products. Includes cull dairy cows, i.e. cows sent to slaughter after their last lactation.
• Non–dairy cows: cows which are kept primarily to produce calves and whose milk is not intended for human consumption or for processing into dairy products. Includes cows kept for rearing calves for meat production (whether or not fattened before slaughter), as well as draught cows and cull cows other than dairy cows.
• Buffalo cows: heads of dairy and non-dairy buffalo cows which have already calved, even if they are under 2 years old.

Sheep

Heads of domestic animals of the ovine species, reared in flocks for their milk, wool or meat. A distinction is made between:

- Breeding female sheep: Heads of ewes and ewe lambs intended for restocking (either by replacing or increasing the flock) which have mated, regardless of their suitability for meat or milk production. Includes cull ewes.
- Other sheep: Heads of sheep other than breeding females. Includes young animals of both sexes, sucklings, young lambs and older lambs, intended for slaughter, as well as stud rams and castrated males.

Goats

Heads of domestic animals of the goat subspecies, regardless of whether they are kept for milk or meat production. A distinction is made between:

- Breeding female goats: Heads of female goats which have kidded at least once and female kids intended for restocking (either by replacing or increasing the herd) which have mated. Includes cull female goats.
- Other goats: Heads of goats other than those listed above. Includes young animals of both sexes, kids and young goats intended for slaughter, as well as stud goats and castrated males.

Pigs

Refers to domestic animals of the porcine subspecies, excluding wild boar and hybrid species.

- Piglets with a live weight of less than 20 kilograms, regardless of their purpose.
- Breeding sows with a live weight of 50 kilograms or over, intended for breeding, regardless of whether they have farrowed or not. Once they have stopped suckling piglets and are sent to slaughter as cull sows, they must be counted under other pigs. Includes: Breeding sows and sows for restocking, either by replacing or increasing the herd, even if unmated.
- Other pigs: Heads of pigs not classified elsewhere. Includes: boars, fattening animals of both sexes with a live weight of over 20 kilograms and cull breeding animals, both male and female.

Poultry

Refers to any type of domestic fowl or captive bird which is reared for meat, eggs or feathers.

Includes:

- Broilers: Heads of domestic animals of the cock and hen subspecies kept for meat production, whether they are in the rearing or fattening phase, regardless of their weight, breed or age.
- Laying hens: Heads of domestic animals of the hen subspecies which have reached laying maturity and are kept for the production of eggs, whether the eggs are for consumption or for breeding.
- Otras aves de corral: Comprende los pavos, patos, ocas o gansos domésticos, avestruces, otras aves de corral no clasificadas en otra parte, como codornices, faisanes, pintadas y palomas.

Excludes:

- Birds bred in captivity for hunting purposes and not for producing meat or eggs.
- Chicks and breeding birds which have not yet entered the production chain on the holding where they are to be kept.

Rabbits

Heads of female rabbits kept to produce rabbits for meat and which have already littered at least once.

Bees

The number of hives occupied by bees kept for the production of honey is recorded, regardless of the nature or type of hive (both fixed and mobile).

In addition, the presence of the following categories of animals on the holding shall be recorded:
Deer
Presence of animals from the deer family, such as red deer, sika deer, reindeer, or common or European fallow deer for the production of meat.

Fur animals
Presence of animals such as American minks, European pole cats, foxes, raccoon dogs or chinchillas for the production of fur.

Other livestock

Covers all captive-bred animals not included under previous headings which belong to the holding and are used to produce agricultural products.
Includes:
- Male rabbits and rabbits for fattening.
- Wild boar and pig hybrids.
- European mouflon if reared for meat production.
- Camels and dromedaries.

Excludes:
- Pets and other animals not used in production or not used for income-generating activities, i.e. used only for the holder’s own family leisure purposes.
- Raising and breeding of semi-domesticated animals or other live animals, such as other birds (except poultry), insects and other fur animals.
- Raising and breeding of pets such as cats and dogs, birds such as parakeets, or hamsters.
- Animals bred in captivity for hunting purposes.
- Snails, worms and insects.
- Aquatic animals, molluscs and fish.
- Batrachians, such as frogs and reptiles.