Ireland's Dairy Cow Population Declines by 2% in 2024

In a recent release, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) of Ireland has reported a notable shift in the country's livestock figures for December 2024. The number of dairy cows in Ireland has seen a reduction of 2% compared to the previous year, decreasing from 1,510,900 to 1,481,300. This decline represents a loss of 29,600 dairy cows over the year.

The CSO livestock survey further reveals a broader decrease in cattle numbers. Overall, the total number of cattle dropped by 217,700, representing a 3.3% decline, leaving the total at 6,308,300. The drop isn\'t restricted to dairy cows; other cows decreased by 50,700, while bulls showed a slight increase of 1,300. The survey also noted significant changes in the demographics of younger cattle, with male cattle aged between 1-2 years decreasing by 54,000, and female cattle of the same age group decreasing by 49,500.

In contrast, Ireland saw an increase in its pig population, which went up by 66,100, amounting to 1,473,700 pigs. This growth is largely attributed to a rise in the number of pigs over 80kg, which increased by 25,100. On the sheep front, Stephanie Kelleher from the CSO highlighted a decline of 103,900 sheep, bringing the total to just under 3.64 million.

These figures paint a complex picture of Ireland\'s shifting agricultural landscape, indicating significant impacts on both the cattle and pig industries.