Volume 12: Livestock Farming
4. Cattle production and movement
Structure of UK cattle production

4.3 As shown in Table 4.1, between 1986 and 1995 the total number of cattle in the UK declined from 12.7 million to 11.9 million. Beef cow numbers increased while dairy cow numbers fell, reflecting both the impact of EU milk quotas in 1984 and increases in the payment rate of the EU Suckler Cow Premium.

Table 4.1: UK cattle and calves (000)

	1986	1992	1993	1994	1995
Total breeding herd	4,472.1	4,414.0	4,452.0	4,524.8	4,442.9
Dairy herd	3,138.1	2,682.5	2,667.8	2,716.0	2,602.8
Beef herd	1,334.0	1,731.5	1,784.2	1,808.9	1,840.2
Total heifers in calf	882.6	767.6	802.7	775.2	775.4
Total bulls for service	77.0	83.6	85.6	88.9	90.0
Total other cattle and calves	7,216.2	6,659.2	6,510.5	6,565.3	6,548.2
TOTAL CATTLE AND CALVES	12,647.8	11,924.3	11,850.8	11,954.2	11,856.5
Source: MAFF
Note: other cattle and calves includes herd replacements 1 year and over, and cattle and calves intended for slaughter.

4.4 The number of dairy cow holdings in the UK declined from 52,300 in 1986 to 38,900 in 1995, continuing a downward trend from 80,600 in the mid-1970s. While dairy holding numbers declined, the average herd size increased from 60 cows in 1986 to 67 cows in 1995. The number of beef cow holdings increased marginally from 70,600 in 1986 to 71,000 in 1995, and herd size increased from 18 to 25 cows over the same period. ¹

4.5 Dairy and beef cattle are mainly grass-fed and require substantial areas of land to support them. This reliance on grass means that dairy and beef farms tend tobe concentrated on the western side of the UK, where rainfall is high and grass abundant. Suckler herds along with sheep breeding flocks (paragraphs 11.2-11.5), tend to be located in areas less suitable for other farming enterprises.

4.6 As shown in Table 4.2, in 1986 England had just under 60 per cent of the UK's cattle herd, followed by Scotland with about 17 per cent, Northern Ireland with nearly 12 per cent, and Wales at around 11 per cent. The distribution of cattle within the UK was similar in 1995, although Northern Ireland's share had increased to just over 14 per cent, with a corresponding drop in England's share to 57 per cent.

Table 4.2: Approximate percentage of UK herd in each country, 1986 and 1995

	Total cattle		Dairy breeding cows		Beef breeding cows
	1986	1995	1986	1995	1986	1995
England	59.9	56.9	70.5	69.6	39.1	43.5
Scotland	17.2	17.5	8.6	8.7	32.4	27.9
Wales	11.1	11.3	11.6	11.3	13.2	11.9
Northern Ireland	11.8	14.3	9.3	10.4	15.3	16.8
Source: MAFF; Dairy Facts and Figures