Despite challenging weather conditions for most parts of the UK over the past year and reduced cow numbers, milk deliveries remain relatively stable according to a new report from AHDB Dairy.

Latest figures for the month of August 2024 show GB milk deliveries totalled 991m litres with an average of 32.0m litres per day which is 0.5% down year on year.

Cow numbers are also reported to have declined a little, with the latest BCMS figures showing a GB milking herd of 1.61m head as of July 1, 2024 – down 0.3% on the previous year, driven by decreases across all age categories apart from two to four-year-olds. The average age of a cow in the GB milking herd now stands at 4.55 years, slightly younger than last year’s figure.

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The latest data continues to illustrate the declining numbers of older cows in the GB dairy herd, with an 8000 head year on year decline in the six to eight-year-old category and a further 7000 loss in cows aged more than eight years.

Looking further afield, global milk deliveries averaged 782.4m litres per day in June, a slight decline of 0.1m litres per day across the selected regions, compared to the same period last year.

Australia and EU recorded year on year volume increases, whilst Argentina, US and New Zealand declined while the UK remained relatively stable.

Milk deliveries in the EU averaged 409.1m litres per day in June, an increase of 4.1m litres per day (1.0%) compared to the same month of the previous year. The greatest year on year volume change was seen in French milk production, up 54m litres (2.9%). Production volumes in Italy and Poland were up, by 29m litres (2.9%) and 41m litres (3.8%) respectively.

Figures from Nielsen also show dairy volumes in the latest 52 weeks to July 13, declined by 0.1% year-on-year but spend increased by 1.6% as inflation caused rises in average prices paid by 1.7%.

Spend on cow’s milk fell by 5.2% and volumes declined by 1.3% year-on-year. Semi-skimmed cow’s milk volumes contributed most to the decline driven by a 2.2% reduction in occasions per buying household, year-on-year. Whole milk saw volumes purchased increase this period (+1.4%), due to an increase in shoppers.

Volumes of cow’s cheese increased by 2.9% year-on-year, and combined with average price rises of 4.0% year-on-year, caused spend on cheese to rise by 7.0%. Cheddar saw 3.4% increase in volumes sold, driven by an increase in volumes purchased per household. Cheddar accounted for 42.6% of all cow cheese sold. Cow’s butter saw a volume decline of 3.0%, despite a decrease of average prices paid (-2.2%). As a result, overall spend reduced by 5.1% year-on-year. Block butter saw volumes increase by 4.3% due an increase in buying households.

Volume sales of cow’s yoghurt, yoghurt drinks and fromage frais increased by 6.4% and spend increased by 11.0%. Despite an average price increase by 4.3%, most of the cow’s yoghurt categories saw volume growth with the healthy category seeing a 19.7% increase in volumes.

Cow’s cream grew by 1.4% year-on-year, driven by more frequent shopping occasions and helped by average price declines. Double, sour, and Crème Fraiche all experienced volume growth.