France livestock population: dairy cows
France livestock population: dairy cows stood at 2,984.21 thousand heads in 2025, according to Eurostat – crop production in EU standard humidity (apro_cpsh1), French agricultural statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Agriculture: annual production and accounts table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1959 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Agriculture: annual production and accounts table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle 2 years old or over | 8,792.74 | 8,920.28 | 9,021.05 | 9,126.55 | 9,364.04 | 9,633.91 | 9,865 | 10,128.65 | 10,301.37 | 10,324.31 | |
| Cows | 6,615.2 | 6,754.66 | 6,904.37 | 7,020.49 | 7,204.4 | 7,379.39 | 7,505.13 | 7,649.9 | 7,751.31 | 7,880.1 | |
| Dairy cows | 2,984.21 | 3,075.18 | 3,164.6 | 3,230.86 | 3,322.03 | 3,405.68 | 3,490.81 | 3,554.23 | 3,596.84 | 3,637.02 |
Understanding france livestock population: dairy cows
Dairy cows livestock population measures adult female bovine animals kept exclusively or primarily for the production of milk intended for human consumption or processing. The count encompasses specialized dairy breeds and dual-purpose cows managed under milk production systems, while explicitly excluding non-dairy suckler cows maintained for beef calf production. This specialized subgroup differs from its suckler counterpart by reflecting structural dairy quotas, milk price trends, and intensive feeding economics.
Reading this series requires accounting for herd consolidation trends where fewer farms manage larger, higher-yielding dairy animals. Revisions are rare once milk delivery registries and sanitary databases are fully reconciled. Year-on-year comparisons highlight how producers respond to dairy market volatilities, feed expenditure inflation, and environmental regulations governing manure management.
Frequently asked questions
- Are dual-purpose cows counted here if they produce milk for sale?
- Yes, cows whose primary utility is milk production are included regardless of their exact breed heritage.
- What main factor separates dairy cows from suckler cows in the data?
- Dairy cows are milked for commercial dairy processing, whereas suckler cows nurse their calves for beef production.
- How do policy shifts impact dairy cow numbers?
- Quota adjustments, subsidy structures, and environmental caps directly influence whether farmers expand or shrink dairy herds.