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Average stocking rates across all classifications of land in NI dropped last year, official figures published by DAERA confirm.
In severely disadvantaged areas (SDA), the average stocking rate stood at 0.84 grazing livestock units per hectare (LU/ha) in June 2018, down from 0.87 LU/ha the year previous.
The drop coincides with the closure of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme and the need for farmers in SDA to meet minimum stocking rates to be eligible for payments.
However, the department’s figures show that stocking rates also dropped elsewhere, with disadvantaged areas (DA) moving from 1.60 LU/ha in 2017 to 1.58 LU/ha last year. In lowland areas, the average stocking rate fell from 1.88 LU/ha to 1.86 LU/ha.
Across NI, the average stocking rate stood at 1.32 LU/ha in 2018, down from 1.35 LU/ha the year previous.
Last year, suckler cow numbers decreased by 4% to 255,900 head, dairy cows fell by 2% to 310,700 head and ewe numbers were down 2% to 956,500 head.
Historic figures indicate that stocking rates peaked across all classifications of land in NI during 1996, when headage payments were available to farmers. At that time, the average stocking rate stood at 1.46 LU/ha and there were 315,440 suckler cows, 281,007 dairy cows and 1.34m breeding ewes in NI.
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