Agricultural area and livestock (discontinued), 31 July 2001, preliminary figures

Preliminary figures from applications for agricultural production subsidies show a decline in number of dairy cows of 7 100 to 289 100 in 2001. This is about 3 per cent fewer than registered the same date the year before. In the period 1995-2001 the number of dairy cows fell by 27 700. At the same time the number of beef cows increased by 24 900 to 45 900.

Larger herds

As from 1995 to 2001 the number of holdings with cows dropped with 4 500 to 23 900. The average holding with cow had 14 cows in 2001. The corresponding figure for 1995 was 12.

The number of dairy goats is also decreasing, from 58 100 in 1995 to 47 600 in 2001. Seven hundred farms were registered as having dairy goats in 2001. The average goat farm had 73 dairy goats in 2001, while the corresponding figure for 1995 was 64.

Small changes in agricultural area

The total agricultural area was 10.31 million decares in 2001. The grain area was 3,21 million decares, corresponding to 31 per cent of the total agricultural area.

The grain area was reduced with 56 500 decares from 2000 to 2001. The oil seed area increased from 57 000 decares in 2000 to 108 900 decares in 2001.

A total of 19 400 holdings grew grain or oil seeds in 2001. This is 2 900 fewer than in 1995. The number of small grain farms is steadily decreasing, while the number of farms with at least 200 decares of grain is increasing.

The area of meadows for mowing and pastures was 6.39 million decares in 2001. Compared with 1995 there has been an increase in the area of meadows with about 10 per cent. Both fully cultivated and surface cultivated land and pastureland has increased in this period.

Tables:

• Table 1 Agricultural area, by use. 1995-2001*
• Table 2 Agricultural area, by county and use
• Table 3 Domestic animals. 1995-2001*
• Table 4 Domestic animals, by county
• Table 5 Holdings, by area used for grain and oil seeds. 1995-2001*
• Table 6 Holdings with cows, by size of herd. 1995-2001*