News Milk
Dairy herd decline accelerated, companies larger
The number of dairy cows has decreased more sharply this year than in previous years, according to new figures from the agricultural census of Statistics Netherlands (CBS). Compared to 2023, there are 1,9% fewer dairy cows. The Netherlands now has 1,544 million dairy cows, compared to 1,574 million last year. The number of farms decreased more sharply, which shows that the trend of permanent dairy farmers having more and more cows is continuing.
In recent years, the number of dairy cows decreased less rapidly on an annual basis than in 2024; by 0,2% in 2023, 0,04% in 2022 and 1,4% in 2020. Young cattle declined even more rapidly this year, by 2,5%. In 2023, the decline in young cattle compared to a year earlier was 1,1%, while from 2021 to 2022 there was 1,6% more young cattle were added.
Compared to 2017, when the phosphate reduction plan came into effect, there are now 8,8% fewer dairy cows in the Netherlands. Since that year, the decline has been greatest in Limburg (-22,1%), Noord-Brabant and Zuid-Holland (both -14,9%) and Gelderland (-11,4%). The smallest decline has been in Zeeland (-2,7%), Utrecht (-4,4%), Noord-Holland and Friesland (both 4,9%). Friesland has by far the most dairy cows with 292.094 heads. Most of these are located in the municipalities of Súdwest-Fryslân and De Fryske Marren, respectively 65.000 and 34.000, according to Statistics Netherlands. Zeeland has the fewest dairy cows, 22.891.
Fewer companies keep more cows
As in previous years, the number of dairy farms is decreasing faster than the number of cows. In 2024, there were 13.896 farms with dairy cattle, a decrease of 2,6% compared to 2023. Compared to 2017, the number of farms decreased by 23%. The remaining farms therefore have an average increasing number of cows. The average is now 111 per dairy farm, which is one more than in 2023. In 2017, an average dairy farm had 94 dairy cows. In Flevoland, the farms are generally the largest, with an average of 157 dairy cows. This is followed by Groningen (an average of 136 cows per farm), Friesland (129) and Drenthe (127).
Number of dairy goats decreasing, but still a quarter more than in 2017
The number of dairy goats also decreased, by 3% to almost 475.000. Compared to seven years ago, the goat population has grown by 26%, according to the CBS. Noord-Brabant and Gelderland have the most goats with 137.000 and 118.000. In the former province, the goat population shrank by 2023% compared to 4, while in Gelderland it increased by more than 1%. Compared to 2017, these provinces have 17% (Noord-Brabant) and 32% (Gelderland) more dairy goats.
Also fewer veal calves, pigs and sheep
The number of veal calves also decreased in 2024, by 1,7% to just over 1 million. However, the number of veal calves increased by more than 2017% compared to 5. The number of pigs also decreased (-2,6%). The number of sheep decreased sharply, mainly due to the bluetongue virus, by almost 13%.
Linda van Eekeres
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