In 2021 there were 1.6m dairy cows in the country and over 400,000 dairy replacements on the database.

That works out at a potential replacement rate of 25%, which allows for growth potential in the dairy herd.

In 2021 the number of dairy heifer calves was up 29,000 on 2020, an increase of 7.5%.

Furthermore, last year total dairy inseminations were up again, from 890,000 in 2020 to over 930,000 in 2021, meaning there will be even more dairy replacement calves on the ground this spring.

Most milk processor surveys suggest milk volume increases are tapering down from recent highs, with a predicted 2% to 3% increase in volumes planned per year in the short term.

Meanwhile, the ICBF has predicted that dairy cow numbers could increase to 1.8m by 2025.

Sucklers

The key numbers on suckler cows are that cow numbers are dropping at 2.5% per year and the biggest drop yet in suckler cow numbers was last year when numbers dropped from 981,000 to 937,000 cows.

This, tied in with the ending of the BDGP contract for many herds and higher than normal beef prices, makes culling a better option for some farmers.

Target

Just prior to Christmas the agricultural industry was given a target to reduce agricultural emissions by between 22% and 30%.

Teagasc says to achieve this will be difficult, but through technology there is a pathway if farmers are rewarded and incentivised rather than the easy solution of cutting stock numbers.

The database shows that the national cattle herd stabilised in 2021 when all stock classes are balanced.