How Ukrainian Dairy Farming is Recovering

Chernihiv Region: From the Epicenter of Hostilities to the Center of Cheesemaking

A company in Chernihiv, founded 20 years ago with just two cows, was cultivating 1,600 hectares of land and maintaining 316 heads of cattle, including 175 dairy cows with an annual yield of nearly 8,000 kg of milk per cow before the war.

The village found itself in the midst of fierce fighting: the farm lost 156 animals, equipment, infrastructure, and feed stocks.

After de-occupation, the enterprise not only resumed its activities but also launched cheesemaking, and today it produces around 30 types of cheese, including Parmesan. Milk yield increased from 10 to 24 kg per cow per day, and productivity programs continue.

Kyiv Region: Recovery Continues

An agricultural firm in the Kyiv region was fully occupied in the early days of the war. With 1,400 heads of cattle and 20 tons of daily milk deliveries, farmers had to give away or dispose of the raw material due to the absence of logistics. After the electricity and water were cut off, the cows were released, and part of the herd perished.

After their return, farmers gathered the remaining animals and resumed milking within a month.

Today, the farm sells 435 tons of milk per month, and the average daily yield is 37–38 kg per cow—a figure higher than pre-war levels.

Kharkiv Region: Focus on Restoring Replacement Stock

The farm maintained 3,631 heads of cattle, including 1,200 dairy cows, producing 36 tons of premium-grade milk daily.

The fighting destroyed:

• 545 cows

• 503 heifers

• 40 springers

• 161 bulls

The post-war period revealed that a significant portion of the cows had atrophied udder quarters, reducing productivity—milk yield fell to 2.6 liters per cow.

Today, the figure is restored: the enterprise receives 32 liters of milk per cow again, with quality meeting high standards (SCC ≈ 80,000/ml, bacterial contamination—30,000/ml).

Photo: milkua.info

The stories of the three farms highlight key drivers of the industry's survival: income diversification, investments in genetics and technology, sustainable supply chains, and community and labor market support. These enterprises not only recovered from destruction but also implemented new directions (cheesemaking, productivity management, processing) and improved performance.