Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 161: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent to which the numbers in the single suckler cow herd have fluctuated over the past 12 years to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28110/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 162: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent to which the numbers in the beef and dairy herds have varied on an annual basis over the past 12 years to date in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28111/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together.

Data on the national herd is published twice yearly by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on the basis of two categories; dairy and other cows. The former are kept principally to produce milk for human consumption and the latter is essentially used for beef production. Data to December 2010 is presented in tabular format below. Results in respect of June 2011 are not yet available but that information will be released on the CSO website in due course.

It can be seen that the size of dairy and suckler cow herds has remained relatively stable over the last 12 years albeit with a gradual decline in overall herd populations. The numerical strength of both herds is closely interlinked. With the impending abolition of milk quotas in 2015, it is projected that dairy cow numbers in Ireland will increase substantially. This will result in a greater number of dairy male calves becoming available for beef production.

Source: CSO December livestock data.

*Revised data sourced from administrative records.