Although DAERA is yet to publish a final figure for December, 2025 milk production in NI looks set to hit another record high of over 2.8bn litres.

Assuming autumn production trends continued into December, our best estimate is that NI farmers will end up supplying 2.825bn litres in 2025, up 8% on the 2024 total.

In 2024, the peak month was in May when 250.9m litres were produced. The trough month was September at 183.9m litres, leaving a peak to trough ratio of 1.36 to 1.

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That ratio widened out slightly in 2025 to 1.38 to 1, with production peaking in May at 274.1m litres and the trough month being September at 198m litres.

NI’s relatively flat profile is in contrast to that in the Republic of Ireland, where spring-calving herds continue to dominate.

During 2025, the peak month was also May when 1.183bn litres were produced, but the trough is in January at 162.5m litres, which leaves a peak to trough ratio of 7.3 to 1.