Number of bovine animals, 1 May 2026 (provisional)

At the beginning of May, there were approximately 759,100 cattle on just over 6,400 farms. The number of dairy cows was one percent lower and the number of suckler cows two percent lower than at the corresponding time last year.

Number of cattle on 1 May 2026 and change compared with the corresponding date of the previous year (in parentheses):

• Cattle total 759,087 head (−1%)
• Dairy cows 223,991 head (−1%)
• Suckler cows 59,618 head (−2%)
• Heifers 123,476 head (−1%)
• Bulls 92,462 head (+2%)
• Cattle under one year 259,540 head (−1%)