Livestock husbandry, 1 January 2003, preliminary figures

The decline in number of livestock farmers from 2002 to 2003 comprises all kinds of domestic animals except holders keeping broilers. The number of holdings keeping sheep went down by 11 per cent, while the number of holdings with laying hens dropped by 8 per cent.

Since 1992, the number of livestock farmers applying for governmental production subsidies has dropped from 55 800 to 40 900, a decline of 27 per cent. The number of holdings with dairy cows went down from 26 900 in 1992 to 17 600 in 2003. In the same period the number of holdings keeping beef cows increased from 2 600 to 5 500.

In the beginning of 2003 a total of 940 200 cattle were registered, a small decline from the year before. The number of dairy cows was 279 300 and beef cows 48 500. The number of beef cows represented 15 per cent of the total number of cows.

Larger herds

The average holding with dairy cows had 15,8 dairy cows in 2003, three more than in 1992. About 22 per cent of these holdings had at least 20 dairy cows.

The number of dairy goats has been reduced by about one fourth since 1992, to 46 900 in 2003. In the same period the average farm with dairy goats increased the number from 58.3 to 78.3. A holding with sheep for breeding had 44.1 sheep in 1992, against 58.5 in 2003. The number of farms with breeding sheep has dropped by 25 per cent to 18 500 in the same period.

Tables:

• Table 1 Holdings keeping domestic animals of various kinds as per 1 January. County
• Table 2 Cattle and sheep. No of heads as per 1 January. County
• Table 3 Various domestic animals. No of heads as per 1 January. County
• Table 4 Holdings with various kinds of domestic animals, by size of herd. As per 1 January