The Cattle Population in Ukraine Continues to Decline
Source: DairyNews.today
The cattle population is mainly continuing to decline due to household farms. Despite the challenges of war and rising production costs, agricultural enterprises are working to increase herd size and boost productivity, reports Georgiy Kukhaleyshvili, an analyst at the Association of Milk Producers.
According to preliminary data fr om the Ministry of Agriculture, as of October 1, 2024, Ukraine holds 2.294 million cattle, including 1.243 million cows, in both household and industrial sectors. Compared to September 1, 2024, the cattle population in Ukraine decreased by 54,900 heads (-2%), while the number of cows dropped by 10,500 heads (-1%). Compared to October 1, 2023, the cattle population decreased by 170,200 heads (-7%), including a reduction of 88,200 cows (-7%). About 40% of the animals are held on industrial farms, while 60% are in household farms.
The industrial sector holds 922,900 cattle, which is 4,800 heads fewer (-1%) than on September 1, 2024. The number of cows stood at 375,900, a decrease of 3,000 heads (-1%) in the past month. Over the last year, the number of cattle on industrial farms decreased by 7,800 heads (-1%). The number of cows on dairy farms decreased by 6,900 heads (-2%).
The household sector has 1.371 million cattle, which is 50,100 heads fewer (-4%) compared to September 1, 2024. The number of cows in household farms as of October 1, 2024, was 866,800, a decrease of 7,500 heads (-1%) from a month earlier. Over the past year, the number of cattle in household farms decreased by 162,400 heads (-12%), and the number of cows decreased by 81,300 heads (-9%).
Georgiy Kukhaleyshvili notes that the decline in the cattle population in Ukraine has been ongoing for many years due to the lack of an effective state support program for dairy farming. The reduction accelerated after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. A typical situation in frontline regions is the loss of some cattle due to shelling by Russian occupiers. Many farmers left their cows in the occupied territories. These animals are not accounted for or were confiscated by Russian occupiers and sold for meat. Injured cows are culled, which also contributes to the decrease in herd size.
Many farmers are not investing in increasing their cattle herds during the war and are experiencing a shortage of working capital. According to the study "Ukraine: The Impact of War on the Profitability of Agricultural Production," conducted by UCAB, the Ministry of Agriculture, with the support of GFDRR, farmers' production costs are rising faster than prices for finished products due to the increasing cost of feed, electricity, the devaluation of the hryvnia, and the decline in the purchasing power of the population.
The most vulnerable to these challenges are household farms, wh ere the reduction in cattle numbers is happening at a faster pace. Conversely, enterprises have proven more resilient to the effects of the war. There is cautious optimism about the increase in the number of dairy farms in relatively safe regions of Ukraine, which, despite the war, are modernizing existing facilities and building new capacities, and growing highly productive herds of cows. According to AVM estimates, at least 40 farms are implementing these measures.
Preliminary data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that cattle herd size increased only in all categories of farms in Mykolaiv region (+1.8%) and Cherkasy region (+0.3%) compared to October 1 of last year.
In regional terms, about 53% of the total cattle population is concentrated in farms of all categories in the following regions:
Khmelnytskyi region – 218,000 heads;
Poltava region – 186,000 heads;
Vinnytsia region – 174,000 heads;
Ternopil region – 147,000 heads;
Odesa region – 134,000 heads;
Cherkasy region – 129,000 heads;
Chernihiv region – 126,000 heads.
Source
The industrial sector holds 922,900 cattle, which is 4,800 heads fewer (-1%) than on September 1, 2024. The number of cows stood at 375,900, a decrease of 3,000 heads (-1%) in the past month. Over the last year, the number of cattle on industrial farms decreased by 7,800 heads (-1%). The number of cows on dairy farms decreased by 6,900 heads (-2%).
The household sector has 1.371 million cattle, which is 50,100 heads fewer (-4%) compared to September 1, 2024. The number of cows in household farms as of October 1, 2024, was 866,800, a decrease of 7,500 heads (-1%) from a month earlier. Over the past year, the number of cattle in household farms decreased by 162,400 heads (-12%), and the number of cows decreased by 81,300 heads (-9%).
Georgiy Kukhaleyshvili notes that the decline in the cattle population in Ukraine has been ongoing for many years due to the lack of an effective state support program for dairy farming. The reduction accelerated after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. A typical situation in frontline regions is the loss of some cattle due to shelling by Russian occupiers. Many farmers left their cows in the occupied territories. These animals are not accounted for or were confiscated by Russian occupiers and sold for meat. Injured cows are culled, which also contributes to the decrease in herd size.
Many farmers are not investing in increasing their cattle herds during the war and are experiencing a shortage of working capital. According to the study "Ukraine: The Impact of War on the Profitability of Agricultural Production," conducted by UCAB, the Ministry of Agriculture, with the support of GFDRR, farmers' production costs are rising faster than prices for finished products due to the increasing cost of feed, electricity, the devaluation of the hryvnia, and the decline in the purchasing power of the population.
The most vulnerable to these challenges are household farms, wh ere the reduction in cattle numbers is happening at a faster pace. Conversely, enterprises have proven more resilient to the effects of the war. There is cautious optimism about the increase in the number of dairy farms in relatively safe regions of Ukraine, which, despite the war, are modernizing existing facilities and building new capacities, and growing highly productive herds of cows. According to AVM estimates, at least 40 farms are implementing these measures.
Preliminary data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that cattle herd size increased only in all categories of farms in Mykolaiv region (+1.8%) and Cherkasy region (+0.3%) compared to October 1 of last year.
In regional terms, about 53% of the total cattle population is concentrated in farms of all categories in the following regions:
Khmelnytskyi region – 218,000 heads;
Poltava region – 186,000 heads;
Vinnytsia region – 174,000 heads;
Ternopil region – 147,000 heads;
Odesa region – 134,000 heads;
Cherkasy region – 129,000 heads;
Chernihiv region – 126,000 heads.
Source
