December 26, 2013

New Zealand's dairy cattle population reaches 6.6 million

New Zealand's dairy cattle population continues its uptrend which started in 2006 and has now reached 6.6 million head, with 1.5 dairy cattle to every New Zealander, according to Statistics New Zealand.

According to agriculture statistics manager, Hamish Hill, compared with recently released population census figures over the same seven-year period, the dairy cattle population has grown over five times faster.

While the increase over the last survey year appears more modest than increases in the previous two survey years, longer-term growth has seen the dairy herd grow by 27% since 2006.

Other livestock numbers showed slight declines in 2013, again continuing long-term trends seen in recent years.