Extensive farms increase in dairy sector

According to Statistics Netherlands, the number of farms with a livestock unit of 2,3 per hectare or smaller has increased to almost 2016% since 70. Statistics Netherlands attributes this turnaround to the introduction of the phosphate reduction plan. In general, the number of 'intensive' livestock farms is declining.

On the basis of the livestock unit (LU) per company, CBS looks at whether they can get a grip on the developments regarding land-relatedness within the Dutch dairy sector. The LU is divided into 5 categories, based on company size. In this respect, companies with 2,3 LSU or less are extensive. Above 2,3 LSU, intensive is assumed, although this is not a hard rule of thumb from Statistics Netherlands.

Switch to extensive?
There is therefore a change in the number of cows per hectare of cultivated land. Whereas before 2016 it was still visible that the number of extensive companies was decreasing, that picture has now been reversed. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of extensive businesses increased from 50% to 69%. For 2016 this fell from 58% to 50%.

Statistics Netherlands divides the companies into 5 categories, classified by company size (see table below). Of the 15.464 companies included in the calculation, 9.943 companies score below 2,3 LU, which comes down to 69%. These farms have less than 2,3 cows, including young stock, per hectare.  

More and more extensive
The LU per company is therefore decreasing. Farms therefore have fewer cows and young stock per hectare of land that they use or own. This shows that companies are becoming more extensive, i.e. land-based. In view of the current government policy, according to these CBS figures, we are therefore heading in the right direction.

Jorine Cosse

Editor at Boerenbusiness who studies the dairy, pig (meat) and feed markets. Jorine analyzes the roughage market on a weekly basis and periodically the compound feed market.

j.cosse@boerenbusiness. Nl

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