Youngstock population sees slight decline since October

Friday, 3 March 2023

The British Cattle Movement Service have released data up to January, showing a relatively small year-on-year decline of 0.8% (-13,000 head) in the GB milking herd, totalling 1.63 million head. This annual decline is the smallest since January 2018. The 2-4 year old category grew marginally by 1.7% (12,800 head), driven by a 3.8% increase in 3 year old cows. However this growth was offset by year-on-year declines in the older groupings.

Chart showing annual change in GB dairy herd age

The youngstock population showed a quarter-on-quarter decline for only the second time since January 2020, falling by 0.7% to total 943,000 head in January. But youngstock numbers were up 1.1% (10,000 head) on year earlier levels. With the 12-18 months sub-grouping seeing the largest year-on-year increase in 10 years (4.8%), this helped contribute to the overall youngstock growth, as the 5.1% increase in the 1-2 year grouping outweighed the decrease (-2.6%) in the 0-1 grouping.

  Graph showing GB female dairy population


Sign up for regular updates

You can subscribe to receive Dairy market news straight to your inbox. Simply fill in your contact details on our online form and select the information you wish to receive.

Visit the Keep in touch page

While AHDB seeks to ensure that the information contained on this webpage is accurate at the time of publication, no warranty is given in respect of the information and data provided. You are responsible for how you use the information. To the maximum extent permitted by law, AHDB accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever caused or suffered (including that caused by negligence) directly or indirectly in relation to the information or data provided in this publication.

All intellectual property rights in the information and data on this webpage belong to or are licensed by AHDB. You are authorised to use such information for your internal business purposes only and you must not provide this information to any other third parties, including further publication of the information, or for commercial gain in any way whatsoever without the prior written permission of AHDB for each third party disclosure, publication or commercial arrangement. For more information, please see our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice or contact the Director of Corporate Affairs at info@ahdb.org.uk  © Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. All rights reserved. 

Topics:

Sectors:

Tags:

×