UK Cattle & Calves at Lowest Figure Since 2005

UK - Between December 2010 and December 2011, the total number of cattle and calves in the UK fell to its lowest figure since 2005 at this time of year (when this series began). Cattle numbers in England followed the UK’s trend, again falling to a six year low, according to the latest farming statistics.

9 March 2012

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Europe

The total number of cattle and calves in the UK fell by 2.2 per cent to 9.7 million between December 2010 and December 2011. This is the lowest figure for cattle since 2005 at this time of year (the earliest year for which consistent values are available). Cattle numbers in England followed the UK’s trend, falling by 2.9 per cent to 5.3 million in December 2011 which is a six year low. The UK’s beef herd only fell by 1.1 per cent to 1.6 million and the English beef herd also fell at a slower rate than all cattle by 2.0 per cent to 730 thousand between December 2010 and December 2011.

The UK’s dairy herd fell at a slightly faster rate than the beef one over that period by 2.5 per cent to 1.8 million, and England’s dairy herd shrank by 3.7 per cent to 1.1 million. These reductions in cattle numbers perhaps reflect continued concern over high production costs, particularly of feedstuffs, and a fall in domestic sales of beef and dairy products due to the UK’s continuing economic downturn which has not been offset by good sales abroad of these products over the last year.