Written answers
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Department of Agriculture and Food
Livestock Numbers
4:00 pm
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of animals in the dairy herd; the degree to which this has fluctuated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12179/10]
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of animals in the beef herd; the degree to which this has fluctuated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12180/10]
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of cattle, sheep and pigs in the country; the extent to which this has fluctuated over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12181/10]
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 to 195, inclusive, together.
The CSO publishes detailed statistics with regards to livestock numbers in Ireland. The December Livestock Survey is available on the CSO website at www.cso.ie and presents estimates of numbers of livestock in December 2008 at State level. The table below present the data from the last 5 December 2008 Livestock Surveys outlining absolute numbers of livestock over the period and the total percentage change over the period.
| Farm Animals in December (Thousand) by Type of Animal and Year | ||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | % Change 2004-2008 | |
| Dairy cows 1 | 1121.8 | 1101.1 | 1087.1 | 1087.5 | 1104.8 | -1.5% |
| Dairy heifers in calf 2 | 238 | 236.3 | 220.5 | 212.9 | 218.1 | -8.4% |
| Other cows | 1150.8 | 1150 | 1128.8 | 1117.4 | 1115.1 | -3.1% |
| Other heifers in calf | 143.6 | 146.3 | 144.4 | 147.5 | 131.3 | -8.6% |
| Bulls | 58.7 | 59.6 | 58.1 | 58.6 | 57.9 | -1.4% |
| Other cattle | 3498.6 | 3498.5 | 3362.8 | 3278.3 | 3307.6 | -5.5% |
| Total cattle | 6211.5 | 6191.7 | 6001.6 | 5902.2 | 5934.7 | -4.5% |
| Total sheep | 4556.7 | 4257 | 3826.3 | 3530.5 | 3422.9 | -24.9% |
| Total pigs | 1754.3 | 1670.8 | 1620 | 1574.6 | 1604.6 | -8.5% |
| 1: Dairy cows are those kept principally to produce milk for human consumption. | ||||||
| 2: Dairy heifers in calf are intended for the dairy herd. |
The table below present the fluctuations in total numbers of livestock presented as a % change over the previous year.
| Changes in number of Livestock (% compared to previous year)by Type of Animal and Year | |||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Dairy cows 1 | -1.2% | -1.8% | -1.3% | 0.0% | 1.6% |
| Dairy heifers in calf 2 | 5.5% | -0.7% | -6.7% | -3.4% | 2.4% |
| Other cows | 0.6% | -0.1% | -1.8% | -1.0% | -0.2% |
| Other heifers in calf | 1.9% | 1.9% | -1.3% | 2.1% | -11.0% |
| Bulls | 3.7% | 1.5% | -2.5% | 0.9% | -1.2% |
| Other cattle | -0.6% | 0.0% | -3.9% | -2.5% | 0.9% |
| Total cattle | -0.2% | -0.3% | -3.1% | -1.7% | 0.6% |
| Total sheep | -6.0% | -6.6% | -10.1% | -7.7% | -3.0% |
| Total pigs | 1.3% | -4.8% | -3.0% | -2.8% | 1.9% |
| 1: Dairy cows are those kept principally to produce milk for human consumption. | |||||
| 2: Dairy heifers in calf are intended for the dairy herd. |
Question No. 196 answered with Question No. 27.
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