This release has been compiled during the COVID-19 crisis. The contents of this release have been impacted by the COVID-19 situation. For further information see Information Note on the Implications of Covid-19 on the Crops and Livestock June Provisional Estimates Release.
| Total Cereals | Cattle | ||
| '000 hectares(ha) | |||
| '000 | |||
| June 2019 | 267.7 | 7208.6 | |
| June 2020 | 263.7 | 7314.4 | |
| % change | -1.5 | 1.5 |
Preliminary estimates for June 2020 show that the area under cereals decreased by 3,900 hectares (ha) (-1.5%) to 263,700 ha when compared to June 2019.
The area under oats increased by 1,200 ha to 25,000 ha while the area under wheat decreased by 17,100 ha to 46,400 ha. The area under barley increased by 12,000 ha to 191,400 ha.
The June 2020 results also show that:
The total cattle numbers increased by 105,800 (+1.5%) to 7,314,400. The number of other cows dropped by 16,500 (-1.6%), while the number of dairy cows was up by 62,900 (+4.2%). The total number of cattle less than 2 years increased by 56,900 (+1.5%). See Table 2.
|
Bull Data Revisions The CSO has changed the data source for bull data from DAFM (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine) to the ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation). This new data has been used to revise bull figures for the period of 2010-2019 and will be used from 2020 onwards. Changes to the bulls category will also result in changes to the male cattle 1-2 years and the male cattle 2 years and over category. |
| X-axis label | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter wheat | 54.4 | 59.7 | 35 |
| Spring wheat | 3.6 | 3.8 | 11.4 |
| Winter Oats | 10.2 | 16.6 | 8.2 |
| Spring Oats | 7.6 | 7.2 | 16.8 |
| Winter Barley | 57.9 | 82.8 | 51 |
| Spring Barley | 127.4 | 96.5 | 140.4 |
| Potatoes | 8.2 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Table 1 Area under Crops | |||||
| Description | June 2018 | June 2019 | June 2020 | Change 2019 - 2020 | |
| ' 000 hectares | ' 000 hectares | % | |||
| Wheat - total | 58.0 | 63.5 | 46.4 | -17.1 | -26.9 |
| Winter wheat | 54.4 | 59.7 | 35.0 | -24.7 | -41.4 |
| Spring wheat | 3.6 | 3.8 | 11.4 | 7.6 | 200.5 |
| Oats - total | 17.8 | 23.8 | 25.0 | 1.2 | 4.9 |
| Winter oats | 10.2 | 16.6 | 8.2 | -8.4 | -50.8 |
| Spring oats | 7.6 | 7.2 | 16.8 | 9.6 | 133.1 |
| Barley - total | 185.2 | 179.4 | 191.4 | 12.0 | 6.7 |
| Winter barley | 57.9 | 82.8 | 51.0 | -31.8 | -38.4 |
| Spring barley | 127.4 | 96.5 | 140.4 | 43.8 | 45.4 |
| Other cereals | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -4.2 |
| Total cereals | 261.6 | 267.7 | 263.7 | -3.9 | -1.5 |
| Potatoes | 8.2 | 8.7 | 8.6 | -0.1 | -1.1 |
| Table 2 Number of Cattle | |||||
| Description | June 2018 | June 2019 | June 2020 | Change 2019 - 2020 | |
| ' 000 | ' 000 | % | |||
| Total cattle | 7,348.5 | 7,208.6 | 7,314.4 | 105.8 | 1.5 |
| Dairy cows1 | 1,480.9 | 1,504.8 | 1,567.7 | 62.9 | 4.2 |
| Other cows | 1,047.9 | 999.7 | 983.3 | -16.5 | -1.6 |
| Bulls2 | 56.2 | 54.9 | 52.2 | -2.7 | -4.8 |
| Cattle male: 2 years and over3 | 410.6 | 402.7 | 409.6 | 6.9 | 1.7 |
| Cattle female: 2 years and over | 369.3 | 390.7 | 388.9 | -1.8 | -0.5 |
| Cattle male: 1-2 years3 | 881.6 | 837.5 | 789.9 | -47.6 | -5.7 |
| Cattle female: 1-2 years | 1,023.7 | 1,010.5 | 1,005.8 | -4.6 | -0.5 |
| Cattle male: under 1 year | 998.1 | 939.5 | 1,013.2 | 73.7 | 7.8 |
| Cattle female: under 1 year | 1,080.3 | 1,068.4 | 1,103.9 | 35.4 | 3.3 |
| Total cattle male | 2,346.5 | 2,234.5 | 2,264.9 | 30.3 | 1.4 |
| Total cattle female | 5,002.0 | 4,974.1 | 5,049.5 | 75.5 | 1.5 |
| 1 Dairy cows are those kept principally to produce milk for human consumption. | |||||
| 2 Bulls used for breeding purposes only. 2018 and 2019 bull figures have been revised. | |||||
| 3 Cattle male: '2 years and over' and '1-2 years' figures have been revised for 2018 and 2019. | |||||
This release presents provisional estimates of land utilisation and livestock numbers in June 2020 at State level. The estimates for cattle and for crops are obtained from administrative data from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). Breeding bull data is received quarterly from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
Farms where the agricultural area used was at least one hectare (2.47 acres) are included in the June Agricultural Sample Survey. Farms with less than one hectare may also be included if they were engaged in intensive production.
The results for crops are based on data obtained from the DAFM Basic Payment Scheme.
The results for cattle are obtained from DAFM’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system, formerly known as the Cattle Movement Monitoring System (CMMS). This system was introduced at the beginning of 2000 and involves electronically recording data on animal movements. Breeding bull data is received quarterly from the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the collection of the Census of Agriculture has unavoidably been deferred from it's planned collection date of 1st June to 1st September. This has impacted the availability of the 2020 results for sheep data. This data is due to be published in the Crops and Livestock Survey June Final release in April 2021.
As the figures in the text and tables have been rounded to the nearest 100 units, there may be slight discrepancies between the sum (or difference) of the constituent items and the total shown. Percentage changes have been calculated on actual figures.
Hide Background Notes
Scan the QR code below to view this release online or go to
http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/clsjp/cropsandlivestocksurveyjuneprovisional2020/
Show Table 1 Area under Crops
Hide Table 1 Area under Crops