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Italy
Livestock surveys
The methododical description of the livestock surveys is valid from 1998 onwards.
Surveys on the number of pigs
In Italy two surveys on the number of pigs are carried out per year, namely in June and December. All surveys are integrated livestock surveys.
All surveys are sample surveys. The average sampling error is 1 %. The last full survey was carried out in 2000 (before that in 1990). The survey is a stratified random sample. It is a sub-sample of the farm structure survey.
By the sample surveys 1 % of the total pig population is recorded and the sample covers 12.241 holdings which is 4.7% of the total holdings breeding pigs.
The surveys are not carried out in selected regions.
The pig population which is not recorded by the sample surveys is estimated by sampling weight obtained through the use of calibration estimator.
The data are obtained by telephone. The average response rate is 72%. The calibration estimator automatically corrects total non response. The Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) is responsible for carrying out the surveys.
Italy does not plan to use administrative sources instead of pig surveys in the medium term (one to five years).
Surveys on the number of cattle
In Italy two surveys on the number of cattle are carried out per year, namely in June and December. All surveys are integrated livestock surveys.
All surveys are sample surveys. The average sampling error is 1 %. The last full survey was carried out in 2000 (before that in 1990). The survey is a stratified random sample. It is a sub-sample of the farm structure survey.
By the sample surveys 13.5 % of cattle population is recorded and the sample covers 15.049 holdings which is 1.6% of the total holdings breeding cattle.
The surveys are not carried out in selected regions.
The cattle population which is not recorded by the sample surveys is estimated by sampling weight obtained through the use of calibration estimator.
The data are obtained by telephone. The average response rate is 72%. The calibration estimator automatically corrects total non response. The Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) is responsible for carrying out the surveys.
Italy does not plan to use administrative sources instead of cattle surveys in the medium term (one to five years).
Surveys on the number of sheep and goats
In Italy one survey on the number of sheep and goats is carried out per year, nemely in December. Sheep and goat populations are recorded jointly. All surveys are integrated livestock surveys.
All surveys are sample surveys. The average sampling error is 1 % by sheep as well as by goat surveys. The last full survey was carried out in 2000 (before that in 1990). The survey is a stratified random sample. It is a sub-sample of the farm structure survey.
By the sample surveys 17.3% of sheep and 18.4% of goat populations are recorded and the sample covers 9.473 (7,2%) holdings breeding sheep and 4.399 (7,2%) holdings breeding goats.
The surveys are not carried out in selected regions.
The sheep and goat population which is not recorded by the sample surveys are estimated by sampling weight obtained through the use of calibration estimator.
The data are obtained by telephone. The average response rate is 82.2%. The calibration estimator automatically corrects total non response. The Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) is responsible for carrying out the surveys.
Italy does not plan to use administrative sources instead of statistical surveys in the medium term (one to five years).
Statistics on slaughterings
The methododical description of the statistics on slaughterings is valid from 2001 onwards.
Monthly slaughtering data are available in Italy on the number and slaughterweight for pigs overall, calves, heifers, cows, bulls, bullocks, sheep overall, lambs and goats overall.
Availability of monthly data on slaughterings
Weight
ISTAT collects the data directly from the slaughterhouses by mail. The veterinary responsible of the sanitary control of the meat fill in the questionnaire. The data are available 60 days after the reference month. The domestic slaughtering is estimated considering external information.
From 2001 Italy will carry out a sample survey on the monthly slaughtering using the CATI technique. The objective of this technique is to improve the timeless of the data collection operations and the response rate.
Data on external trade in live animals
The methododical description of the external trade is valid from 1993 onwards.
The sources of the data are the enterprises (for INTRASTAT data) and the Customs (for the extra-EC trade). The enterprises with a trade volume > 50 millions of lira (25 823 €) in the previous year have to communicate the figures at ISTAT each month; all the others only once a year before the 31st January of the following year. The foreign trade data are available into 4 months after the reference month. The categories are classified by the NC. There is not a perfect harmonisation with the livestock categories fixed in the EU agricultural statistics directives.
Production forecasts (gross indigenous production)
The methododical description of GIP is valid from 1998 onwards.
For pigs, ISTAT has studied a statistical model to forecast the production. The forecasting model chosen is of the VAR (vector autoregressive) type. The assumption underling the model is the existence of a mechanism linking the number of pigs produced and those slaughtered. In this respect slaughtering and production are taken as proxies for demand and supply of meat, while the difference between overall demand and national production is met by imports.
The model forecasts production and slaughtering by means of past information on production and slaughtering (both lagged 1, 2, 3, 12 months) and some "dummies". The observations in mind are monthly. Post sample tests of the model (over the last 3 years) show a trimmed mean absolute error of 3.8%, 3.1% and 0.6% for 1st, 2nd and 3rd forecast.
The results of the surveys and the forecasts are checked twice a year with data from veterinary services at regional level.
For cattle, sheep and goats, the forecasts are made by experts considering the statistical and market information available.
Poultry statistics
In Italy there are statistical information on the activities of the eggs hatcheries, on the number of farms and live animals, on the external trade, on the industrial production and on the consumption. No forecasts are made. From 2001 Italy has planned to start a total monthly survey on the poultry slaughtering.