THE UK dairy and beef herds continue to shrink but pig numbers are increasing, according the latest Defra June farming statistics.

The provisional statistics also confirm the impact of the poor winter and spring weather on wheat and oliseed rape yields this summer.

The statistics, published yesterday, contain provisional estimates for land use, crop areas and livestock populations on agricultural holdings in the UK and the size of the UK cereals and oilseed rape harvest for 2013.

The total area of horticultural crops has decreased by 4.9% between 2012 and 2013, now standing at 163 thousand hectares. Vegetables and salad for human consumption make up the majority of this area at 116 thousand hectares, a reduction of 6.0% from 2012.

The total number of cattle and calves decreased by 0.6% between 2012 and 2013 to just over 9.8
million. The breeding herd decreased by 2.2% to 3.4 million in 2013. The beef and dairy herds both
saw reductions, falling by 2.8% and 1.6% respectively.

Pig numbers have seen an increase of 8.2% from 2012, now standing at 4.8 million. This is mainly due to the 9.4% increase in fattening pigs which has offset the 1.2% decrease in breeding pigs.
The UK population of sheep and lambs has risen by 0.3% to 32.3 million animals, largely due to the
1.5% increase in the female breeding flock to just under 15.5 million.

Estimates for poultry, horses, goats, farmed deer and camelids will be included in the final publication.  The total number of people working on agricultural holdings will be published on 19 December 2013.

For more articles like this, subscribe to Smallholder magazine