The number of cows and milk production have both been on the decline

A report by DairyNZ and the Livestock Improvement Corporation showed over the past five years cow numbers in the country declined, with milk production following suit.

In the 2021/22 season there were 4.84 million cows in the country that produced 20.78 billion litres of milk, compared to 4.946 million cows that produced 21.2 billion litres of milk in the 2018/19 season.

There are a number of reasons for cow numbers and milk production to decline.

Farmers buy less nitrogen fertiliser due to its increasing cost, which caused a decline in the production of grass feed, leading to a reduction in the number of cows they could support

Cutting down on the amount of feed for any reason would necessitate a reduction in the number of animals on the farm.

The shortage of farm staff to manage herds and the desire for a better work-life balance has made it more practical to handle smaller herds with fewer workers.

In addition to adhere to water quality standards, many grazing areas have had to be taken out and there is a growing demand for carbon footprint reduction