In the year to March, domestic milk intake was estimated at 1.33bn litres, up 20.4m litres or 1.6% when compared with the same period in 2025, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This also represents an increase of 6% on domestic milk intake on the period of January to March 2024.

For the month of March 2026, domestic milk intake by milk processors and co-ops was estimated at 815.7m litres, a drop of 6.1m litres or 0.7% on the same month in 2025.

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Butterfat and protein content

In March 2026, fat content was 4.48%, up from 4.34% in March 2025, while protein content for was 3.38%, unchanged from March 2025.

Butter production in March 2026 was up 3,100 tonnes on March 2025 standing at 27,100t, according to the CSO.

The highest ever recorded domestic milk intake by Irish processors and co-ops was in 2025, estimated at 8.84bn litres, a 4.8% (406.8m litres) increase on 2024 and a 4.5% (376.8m litres) jump on 2023.