In 2023, the number of dairy cows in the EU will decrease

Published Jan 19, 2023

Tridge summary

In 2023, the European Union is expected to see a decrease in its dairy cow population, dropping below 20 million heads, as per USDA projections. This decline, along with a decrease in cow productivity, is likely to reduce cow's milk production in the EU to 143 million tons. The upcoming Common Agricultural Policy and Farm to Fork strategy could add further uncertainty to the dairy sector. The summer drought of 2022 also impacted feed and milk production, increasing production costs and selling prices for raw milk. While non-cow's milk production in the EU is on the rise, particularly in Mediterranean countries, farmers producing milk for niche products with protected geographical indications faced feed shortages and production halt due to high feeding standards.

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

Original content

It is predicted that in 2023 the number of dairy cows in the European Union will fall below 20 million heads. Compared to 2016, this is minus 1.7 million heads, and compared to 2021 - 564 thousand heads. This is written by Infagro with reference to the USDA. Despite the steady annual increase in cow productivity, the decline in herds has reduced the production of cow's milk in the EU, which is forecast at 143 million tons in 2023. The planned January 1 implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy and the accompanying Farm to Fork (F2F) strategy is likely to add uncertainty to the dairy sector this year. Drought across the EU in the summer of 2022 hampered feed and milk production as production costs for energy and fertilizers increased, pushing up selling prices for raw milk. Non-cow's milk production in the EU is mainly concentrated in the Mediterranean countries. The situation is better with him. Consumer demand for dairy products such as goat cheeses or mozzarella made ...

Source: Agrotimes