Number of bovine animals, 1 May 2016 (Provisional)

• The number of cattle at start of May was 909,130, which is one percent less than a year ago. A total of 11,800 farms had cattle.
• The number of suckler cows and calves increased whereas that of dairy cows, heifers and bulls decreased.
• The number of dairy cows was 282,400. The average number of dairy cows at a farm was 35.
• There were about 59,000 suckler cows at the start of May. The average number of suckler cows at a farm was 27.

Number of cattle by municiplity and by herd size are published in February 2017.