Dairy farmers’ annual incomes have averaged €109,000 in the six years from 2020 to 2025 inclusive, according to the latest Teagasc figures.

The average is based on final income figures calculated as part of Teagasc’s National Farm Survey and published recently in accompanying fact sheets.

The Teagasc figures confirmed that dairying remains the most profitable farm enterprise by far, with the average figures for other sectors lagging well behind milk.

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The average income from tillage for the six-year period was €36,000; while the figure for sheep was €21,000. Cattle finishing gave an average income of €19,500; while sucklers averaged €12,000 per annum.

Dairying also led the way in terms of income per hectare, with an average of €1,621/ha for the six years. Tillage gave an average of €674/ha, cattle finishing recorded an average of €560/ha, while sheep delivered an average of €437/ha and sucklers €391/ha.

The suckler sector received the highest support payments on average for the six years at €509/ha. The average payment to cattle finishers and sheep farmers was €468/ha, while tillage farmers received €452/ha on average.

Dairy farmers received €337/ha on average for the six-year period.

Direct payments accounted for 24% of dairy farmer incomes, 81% of tillage farmer incomes, 91% of cattle finisher incomes, 112% of sheep farmer incomes, and 151% of suckler farmer incomes.

Meanwhile, the high incomes in dairying over the last six years was reflected in the level of investment in the sector in 2025.

Teagasc estimated that dairy enterprises accounted for around half of the €1.6 billion invested in total on Irish farms in 2025.

The average spend on dairy units topped €52,000 per farm last year, a 6% increase on 2024. Investment on tillage farms was in excess of €21,000 on average; with suckler farmers investing €6,600 on average in 2025. Sheep farmers invested over €8,100 on average.