UK dairy population: 2024 figures mark the lowest on record

Published 2024년 12월 4일

Tridge summary

In October 2024, the Great Britain (GB) milking herd reached a historic low of 1.64 million head, a 0.9% decrease from the previous year, while the overall herd declined by 1.5% to 2.55 million head. This reduction was seen across all age groups except for the 2–4-year bracket, which grew by 2,000 head due to a youngstock boom in 2021. The most significant drop was in the youngstock group under 2 years, down by 23,000 head (2.5%), as farmers adjusted their dairy replacement heifer strategies. This trend is expected to affect the milking herd from 2025 onwards. Despite the decline, improved milk prices and lower input costs may promote herd growth. Notably, cows aged 6-8 and over 8 years saw a reduction of over 16,000 head, reflecting a shift towards greater herd efficiency and better genetics.

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

Original content

The GB milking herd totalled 1.64 million head as of October 2024, the lowest October number recorded, and a 0.9% decrease compared to the same month the previous year. The GB herd total came to 2.55 million head, a year-on-year decline of 1.5%. A fall was seen across all age groups, with the exception of the 2–4-year age bracket. Culling of older cows helped to maintain the average age of a cow in the GB milking herd at 4.55 years, very slightly younger than last year’s figure. Dairy cows between 2-4 years of age were the only category to see an increase, having risen by 2,000 head (+0.3%) year-on-year, as calves born from the youngstock boom of 2021 progress into the milking herd. All other age categories of the GB milking herd recorded year-on-year declines in numbers. The greatest change was seen in the youngstock group (<2 years old), which decreased by 23,000 head (2.5%). This downward trend has generally been the case since October 2022. This is likely to be a reflection of ...

Source: Ahdb