As of February 1, 2024, the cattle population in Ukraine has decreased by 159,000 heads
Source: The DairyNews
Association of Milk Producers: As of February 1, 2024, the cattle population in Ukraine has decreased by 159,000 heads, which is 7.3% less compared to February 2023 and 2.6% less compared to January 1 of the current year.
The number of animals continues to decrease due to the negative impact of the war on Ukraine's dairy farming, and dairy farmers are facing a problem of insufficient working capital, as reported by the analyst of the Association of Milk Producers, Georgiy Kukhaleishvili.
According to preliminary data fr om the State Statistics Service, as of February 1, 2024, there are 2,177.90 thousand heads of cattle in the backyard and industrial sectors of Ukraine, including 1,255.8 thousand cows. Compared to January 1, 2024, the cattle population in Ukraine has decreased by 55.7 thousand heads (-2.6%), and the number of cows has decreased by 34.4 thousand heads (-2.7%). Over the past year, the cattle population has decreased by 159,000 heads (-7.3%), including cows, which decreased by 89.8 thousand heads (-7.2%). Approximately 30% of the animals are kept on industrial enterprises, and 70% are on household farms.
In the industrial sector, there are 908.4 thousand heads of cattle, which is 4.2 thousand heads (-0.5%) less than in January 2024. The number of cows on enterprises is 375.7 thousand heads, which is 2.2 thousand more (+0.6%) compared to the previous month. Over the past year, the cattle population has decreased by 31.7 thousand heads (-3.5%), and the number of cows has decreased by 15.4 thousand heads (-4.1%).
In the backyard sector, there are 1,269.50 thousand heads of cattle, which is 51.5 thousand heads (-4.1%) less than on January 1, 2024. The number of cows in household farms as of February 1, 2024, was 880.1 thousand, which is 36.6 thousand heads (-4.2%) less than a month ago. Over the past year, the number of cattle in household farms has decreased by 127,300 heads (-10%), and the number of cows has decreased by 74,400 heads (-8.5%).
Georgiy Kukhaleishvili notes that the reduction in cattle population has been a long-standing problem in Ukraine due to the lack of an effective state program to support dairy farming. The war has only exacerbated the situation. A common situation in frontline regions is the loss of a certain number of cattle due to shelling by Russian occupiers. Many farmers have left cows in the occupied territories. These animals are not accounted for or have been confiscated by Russian occupiers and sold for meat. Farmers send cows with injuries for culling, which also contributes to the reduction in cattle population.
Many farmers are refraining from increasing the number of cows during wartime and a shortage of working capital. The 14% increase in cattle prices compared to December 2023 provides grounds for increasing the sale of animals, which, in turn, can further contribute to the reduction in cattle population. The maintenance of cows becomes more expensive due to the decrease in the profitability of milk production and the increase in costs for feed preparation, diesel fuel, and electricity. The challenge for farmers remains the reduction of pastures and agricultural land for sowing due to landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Farms wh ere the reduction of cattle population is occurring at a faster pace have proven to be more vulnerable to these challenges. Industrial dairy farms, on the other hand, have proven to be more resilient.
Regionally, about 54% of the total cattle population is kept in farms of all categories in the following regions:
Khmelnytskyi Oblast - 211.4 thousand heads;
Poltava Oblast - 175.3 thousand heads;
Vinnytsia Oblast - 167.8 thousand heads;
Ternopil Oblast - 130.4 thousand heads;
Odesa Oblast - 127.5 thousand heads;
Chernihiv Oblast - 124.2 thousand heads;
Cherkasy Oblast - 121.7 thousand heads;
Zhytomyr Oblast - 112 thousand heads.
According to the State Statistics Service, the cattle population has increased on agricultural enterprises in Zakarpattia Oblast by 11%, in Ternopil Oblast by 9%, and in Mykolaiv Oblast by 3% compared to February 1 of the previous year. In household farms, the cattle population has increased in Zaporizhia Oblast by 9% and in Kharkiv Oblast by 1% over the past year.
According to preliminary data fr om the State Statistics Service, as of February 1, 2024, there are 2,177.90 thousand heads of cattle in the backyard and industrial sectors of Ukraine, including 1,255.8 thousand cows. Compared to January 1, 2024, the cattle population in Ukraine has decreased by 55.7 thousand heads (-2.6%), and the number of cows has decreased by 34.4 thousand heads (-2.7%). Over the past year, the cattle population has decreased by 159,000 heads (-7.3%), including cows, which decreased by 89.8 thousand heads (-7.2%). Approximately 30% of the animals are kept on industrial enterprises, and 70% are on household farms.
In the industrial sector, there are 908.4 thousand heads of cattle, which is 4.2 thousand heads (-0.5%) less than in January 2024. The number of cows on enterprises is 375.7 thousand heads, which is 2.2 thousand more (+0.6%) compared to the previous month. Over the past year, the cattle population has decreased by 31.7 thousand heads (-3.5%), and the number of cows has decreased by 15.4 thousand heads (-4.1%).
In the backyard sector, there are 1,269.50 thousand heads of cattle, which is 51.5 thousand heads (-4.1%) less than on January 1, 2024. The number of cows in household farms as of February 1, 2024, was 880.1 thousand, which is 36.6 thousand heads (-4.2%) less than a month ago. Over the past year, the number of cattle in household farms has decreased by 127,300 heads (-10%), and the number of cows has decreased by 74,400 heads (-8.5%).
Georgiy Kukhaleishvili notes that the reduction in cattle population has been a long-standing problem in Ukraine due to the lack of an effective state program to support dairy farming. The war has only exacerbated the situation. A common situation in frontline regions is the loss of a certain number of cattle due to shelling by Russian occupiers. Many farmers have left cows in the occupied territories. These animals are not accounted for or have been confiscated by Russian occupiers and sold for meat. Farmers send cows with injuries for culling, which also contributes to the reduction in cattle population.
Many farmers are refraining from increasing the number of cows during wartime and a shortage of working capital. The 14% increase in cattle prices compared to December 2023 provides grounds for increasing the sale of animals, which, in turn, can further contribute to the reduction in cattle population. The maintenance of cows becomes more expensive due to the decrease in the profitability of milk production and the increase in costs for feed preparation, diesel fuel, and electricity. The challenge for farmers remains the reduction of pastures and agricultural land for sowing due to landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Farms wh ere the reduction of cattle population is occurring at a faster pace have proven to be more vulnerable to these challenges. Industrial dairy farms, on the other hand, have proven to be more resilient.
Regionally, about 54% of the total cattle population is kept in farms of all categories in the following regions:
Khmelnytskyi Oblast - 211.4 thousand heads;
Poltava Oblast - 175.3 thousand heads;
Vinnytsia Oblast - 167.8 thousand heads;
Ternopil Oblast - 130.4 thousand heads;
Odesa Oblast - 127.5 thousand heads;
Chernihiv Oblast - 124.2 thousand heads;
Cherkasy Oblast - 121.7 thousand heads;
Zhytomyr Oblast - 112 thousand heads.
According to the State Statistics Service, the cattle population has increased on agricultural enterprises in Zakarpattia Oblast by 11%, in Ternopil Oblast by 9%, and in Mykolaiv Oblast by 3% compared to February 1 of the previous year. In household farms, the cattle population has increased in Zaporizhia Oblast by 9% and in Kharkiv Oblast by 1% over the past year.
