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Dairy calf registrations: Lowest on record
Thursday, 13 March 2025
In the fourth quarter of 2024, calf registrations to dairy dams in GB totalled 314,000 head according to the latest BCMS data. This is a decline of 46,000 (12.7%) head compared to the same period in the previous year and also marks the lowest figure recorded in the fourth quarter.
Looking at the full year data for 2024, registrations were recorded at 1.48 million head. This was 36,300 (2.4%) head lower compared to 2023. Year on year increases recorded in Q1 and Q3 were dragged down by significant decline in Q4.
BCMS data also showed a decline in the GB milking herd, driven by decline in the number of younger cows.
Comparing to the five-year average, we see that registrations in Q3 2024 were up almost 13,000 (3%) head while that in Q2 was down 4,400 (1.5%) head. This supports a change in calving systems with more calves born to dairy dams in autumn and less in the summer when compared historically, as farms adopt block calving systems.
Considering annual registrations for 2024 (-2.4% year-on-year), GB milk deliveries in the 2024 calendar year were marginally higher. This suggests that milk yields were supported by the rising milk prices and favourable milk to feed price ratio in the second half of 2024. However, the overall decline in calf registrations for 2024 would mean fewer younger heifers mature into the milking herd, having the potential to impact milk output in the longer-term.
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