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:
Date Suckler cow numbers Dairy cow numbers Total cow numbers September 1, 2023: 840,633 1,594,306 2,434,939 September 1, 2024: 791,863 1,564,799 2,356,662 Difference: -48,770 -29,507 -78,277 % Difference -5.8% -1.8% -3.2%
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 attributing to the decline in both dairy and suckler cow numbers including weather conditions, changing policy and changing farm systems.
The prolonged duration of winter 2023-2024 put fodder supplies under pressure on many farms and extended the more labour-intensive winter-housing period. Farmers who were concerned about feed supplies for this winter may have offloaded additional cows ahead of this winter.
Policy changes relating to the nitrates derogation and farm stocking rates will have also resulted in farmers offloading some of their lower-performing cows.
As well as this, on farms where the farm owner is getting older, often these farmers retire from dairy or suckler farming and convert entirely to drystock farms – rearing calves to beef or buying weanlings and rearing these to store cattle or beef cattle.
It remains to be seen if the trend of declining cow numbers in both the suckler and dairy sectors will continue or it numbers will eventually stabilise.