Falling beef cattle numbers in Scotland is of huge concern to farmers and the nation's food security and the situation is being replicated south of the Border with Defra's annual livestock survey revealing sheep and cattle populations in England are at a record low, since the census began.
The figures from the June census show the total sheep population fell 4.3% year-on-year and now stands at 13.8m head, while the total cattle population saw a 2.0% reduction to 5.0m head, driven by declines in the beef breeding herd.
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The most significant declines were seen in breeding female numbers, within both cattle and sheep populations.
As of June 1, the English sheep flock had experienced a 4.3% decline year-on-year, equivalent to a reduction of 620,000 head. This brings the total sheep population down to 13.8m head.
The total population decline was mainly driven by the breeding flock, which fell by 5.6% (390,000 head). Declines were also seen in the ‘other sheep and lambs category’ (-3.1%), consisting of lambs under a year old, rams and other sheep older than a year.
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Most notably, there was an 11% fall in the number ewes intended for first time breeding, which according to a report from AHDB is likely to be influenced by ewe lambs and gimmers slaughtered in the spring, incentivised by market conditions.
The total female breeding flock now stands at 660,000 head – the lowest level since 2011. As a result, the lamb market outlook forecasts a decline of the lamb crop for the 2024-25 season (March-March).
The continued firm prices had raised questions as to whether stock has been held back this year, yet the Defra figures show that the population of lambs under a year of declined by 3.5%.
Cattle
The Defra survey revealed a contraction in the total cattle population to 5.0m head, 2% below the previous year and the lowest level in England recorded in the June survey. Pressure on margins and the recent robust beef prices are likely to have incentivised some culling.
The breeding herd fell by 2.2%, to total 1.7m head. The dairy breeding herd saw a marginal decline of 0.6%. The beef breeding herd drove the decline, having fallen by 5.1%, accounting for 32,000 head.
While male numbers over two years of age increased, overall, male cattle numbers declined by 2.6%. The decline of males under the age of two is likely to be linked to the changes in Dairy/Beef systems over recent years.
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