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The number of suckler cows on farms in NI is down again, with the final results of the DAERA June agricultural census putting the total at 247,000, a 3% reduction on the previous year.
That is the lowest number of suckler cows recorded in NI since June 1988, and continues a trend that has been generally downward since the days of headage-based payments in the 1990s.
At the peak in 1998 there were 344,704 sucklers on farms in NI.
With the number of in-calf beef heifers in June 2019 down by 2%, and at its lowest point since 1987, it would suggest that there is little likelihood of an overall recovery in 2020.
Prior to the introduction of headage-based payments, the number of suckler cows in the 1980s was generally in the range of 220,000 to 240,000. With the link between production and payments completely broken, it looks like we are heading back to those levels.
By contrast, dairy cow numbers in NI remain strong. The total increased in June 2019 by 1% to 313,500, and while that is behind the figures from 2016 and 2017, it is still the third highest total ever recorded in NI. There were also 60,300 heifers in calf (a 2% increase) on farms.
Overall, total NI cattle numbers in June 2019 were down slightly on the previous year at 1.61m. A significant factor in that fall is the 3% reduction in cattle aged between 12 and 24 months, which is in line with other data suggesting that slaughter numbers will be reasonably tight in the first half of 2020.
Across the UK, cattle numbers have generally been in decline, especially in England and Scotland. The total cattle population in June 2019 of 9.74m is actually the lowest figure recorded for over 70 years.
Sheep
In the sheep sector, stagnant prices for much of 2019 hit confidence, and ewe numbers were down 2% at 938,500. While that is the lowest seen since 2014, total ewe numbers did dip below 900,000 head in the period from 2009 to 2011. However, when we look back to the historic peak in ewe numbers seen in 1998 of 1.45m, it is perhaps noteworthy that the 35% drop in the NI flock since then is actually significantly higher than that seen in sucklers (28%).
Pigs and poultry
In the pig sector, total sow numbers were down slightly in June to 47,400, but with more finishing pigs on the ground, the total pig population was up 6% to 674,300, the highest for 22 years.
The laying hen sector also continues to expand, increasing 15% to stand at just under 5m birds in June 2019. It is the highest number ever recorded in NI (data going back to 1981).
However, broiler numbers were down 13% in June to stand at 15.35m, presumably on the back to Moy Park’s decision to temporarily halt production at its Ballymena site.
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