EU's cattle herds continue to contract

Published Jan 3, 2024

Tridge summary

The European Union's cattle herd has been contracting since 2017 and is expected to continue to do so in 2023 and 2024 due to high input costs and new regulations. On the other hand, Central European countries are expected to see a slight rebound in calf production, while Western EU Member States are forecasted to experience further contraction in their cattle herds. This decline in cattle production is leading to reduced beef production, increasing prices, and limited exports for the EU.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Since 2017, the European Union’s cattle herd has been contracting. According to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report, this will continue in 2023 and 2024. Record high carcass and milk prices have not reversed the contraction. Dairy and beef cattle farmers face reduced profit margins due to high feed, energy, and labour prices. Another challenge for the industry is new regulations imposed by the European Commission that require financial investments and changes in farm management practices. The incessant flow of new requirements creates uncertainty for farmers, limiting their ability to invest. For example, while EU cattle exports, in particular to Turkey, recovered in 2022, upcoming EU Animal Welfare legislation on animal transport is expected to limit future live cattle exports. In Central Europe, the combination of specific and structural support, rising carcass weights, and falling feed prices is forecast to support ...

Source: The Cattle Site