Figures signal prolonged pressure on livestock availability, with potential implications for prices and processing capacity. \ Odhran Ducie
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The UK cattle and sheep sector faces tightening supplies with livestock numbers continuing their downward slide, data from the June 2025 farm census shows.
The UK cattle population fell to 9.29m head, a 1% year-on-year decline, driven largely by a sharp drop in suckler cow numbers, which dropped 4% to 1.29m. In contrast, the dairy herd saw modest growth of 1% to reach 1.85m head, with the largest expansion happening in NI.
There was also an increase of almost 44,000 calves in 2025 aged under-one-year which offers some potential for improved beef supplies by 2027 to 2028.
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Sheep
The June census results also confirm that the national flock shrank again and is down by almost 2% to 30.48m.
Analysts warn that the contraction in the breeding flock will translate into fewer lambs coming forward in the next season, tightening supplies at a time of firm consumer demand.
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The UK cattle and sheep sector faces tightening supplies with livestock numbers continuing their downward slide, data from the June 2025 farm census shows.
The UK cattle population fell to 9.29m head, a 1% year-on-year decline, driven largely by a sharp drop in suckler cow numbers, which dropped 4% to 1.29m. In contrast, the dairy herd saw modest growth of 1% to reach 1.85m head, with the largest expansion happening in NI.
There was also an increase of almost 44,000 calves in 2025 aged under-one-year which offers some potential for improved beef supplies by 2027 to 2028.
Sheep
The June census results also confirm that the national flock shrank again and is down by almost 2% to 30.48m.
Analysts warn that the contraction in the breeding flock will translate into fewer lambs coming forward in the next season, tightening supplies at a time of firm consumer demand.
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