June Census Results

October 25, 2016 12:00 am

Provisional results from the UK June Survey of Agriculture are a little surprising, but perhaps show how resilient UK livestock farmers are. As the table below shows, all categories of breeding livestock have shown an increase compared to last June.  In the dairy herd, the numbers are up only marginally, but considering the turmoil the industry has been through, the fact that numbers have risen at all is perhaps unexpected.  This compares to a small, 0.5% drop in the English dairy herd.  The UK beef breeding herd has increased now for the last couple of years, although is still below the numbers recorded in 2013.  

UK JUNE CENSUS (LIVESTOCK)

 

Thousands (head)

2013

2014

2015

2016

% Change 15-16

TOTAL CATTLE & CALVES

9,844

9,837

9,919

10,033

+1.1%

Of which      Total Breeding Herd

3,393

3,411

3,472

3,493

+0.6%

                      Dairy Herd

1,782

1,841

1,895

1,897

+0.1%

                      Beef Herd

1,611

1,569

1,576

1,596

+1.2%

TOTAL SHEEP & LAMBS

32,856

33,743

33,337

33,507

+0.5%

Of which      Breeding Flock

15,561

16,026

16,024

16,092

+0.4%

TOTAL PIGS

4,885

4,815

4,739

4,849

+2.3%

Of which      Breeding Herd Total

421

406

408

415

+1.8%

Source: DEFRA  

After a slight fall in 2015 the sheep breeding flock has increased; anecdotal evidence suggests that it is continuing to rise.  And, following better trading conditions, the pig breeding herd is showing a recovery, although not quite back up to 2013 levels.

The full Survey results can be found at – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/farming-statistics-provisional-crop-areas-and-livestock-populations-at-june-2016-united-kingdom

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