Irish cow numbers fall over 78,000 head in the past year

Irish cow numbers as of September 1, 2024, is over 78,000 head below the same date of 2023, latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown. The largest decline in cow numbers has been seen in the suckler sector where suckler cow numbers have declined by almost 49,000 head in the past year. Dairy cow numbers have fallen by over 29,500 head in the past 12 months, a stark contrast to the growth trends seen in dairy cow numbers since milk quota abolition in 2015. The table below compares cow numbers in Ireland on September 1, 2023 to September 1, 2024: As the table above indicates, the largest number and percentage fall has been in suckler cow numbers which fell by 48,770 head or 5.8% in the 12 months to September 1. Dairy cow numbers have fallen by 29,507 head or 1.8% in the 12 months to September 1. The total Irish cow numbers has fallen by 78,277 head or 3.2% in the 12 months to September 1. There are a number of factors that are likely ...