This chapter contains information on the number of dairy cows and domestic milk intake by creameries and pasteurisers.
In 2019, Co. Cork had the largest number of dairy cows at 379,300 head while Co. Leitrim had the smallest number of dairy cows at 1,900 head.
Interactive tables: Statbank
Link to release: Crops and Livestock
| X-axis label | Dairy Cows | Domestic Milk Intake |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 1163.2 | 5422.7 |
| 2014 | 1226.4 | 5648.5 |
| 2015 | 1295.8 | 6395.2 |
| 2016 | 1397.9 | 6653.8 |
| 2017 | 1432.7 | 7262.5 |
| 2018 | 1480.9 | 7585 |
| 2019 | 1504.8 | 7986.2 |
The number of dairy cows increased by over 29% in the period 2013 to 2019.
In the years leading up to and since the abolition of the milk quota in 2015, a steady year-on-year increase in the number of dairy cows on Irish farms has been observed.
The number of dairy cows in 2019 was 1,504,800, an increase of 1.6% on 2018.
The domestic milk intake increased by just over 47% in the period 2013 to 2019.
In 2019, the estimated domestic milk intake in litres by creameries and pasteurisers in Ireland was 7,986 million litres, an increase of over 5% on 2018.
Interactive tables: Statbank
Link to release: Milk Statistics
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