Number of pigs stable, but more dairy cows

The number of dairy cows has grown marginally in 2014 and more milk was delivered to dairy factories. This trend was even more noticeable in 2013. The total number of pigs again remained stable according to Statistics Netherlands.

Also more calves and yearlings

On 1 December 2014, there were 4.2 million cattle in the Netherlands, i.e. an increase by nearly 2 percent relative to one year previously. The number of dairy cows and calves grew by nearly one percent to more than 1.6 million. As the number of dairy cows increased, more milk was delivered to dairy factories. The volume increased by more than 2 percent. The number of calves and yearlings kept for breeding increased substantially by 7 percent. These animals are kept for exports or replacement of the dairy stock. The dairy stock is growing because the milk quota system will be lifted on 1 April 2015.

The number of cattle bred for meat production hardly changed. On 1 December 2014, the number of calves for fattening was less than one percent down from 1 December 2013.

Number of pigs stable

In December 2014, the number of pigs in the Netherlands totalled 12.1 million, versus 12.0 million one year previously. The number of covered sows decreased by 55 thousand, but the number of young sows and other breeding pigs increased by 55 thousand. The number of young pigs kept for reproduction rose by 225 thousand.