QMS comments on Scottish herd data for the last decade
15/01/2020
According to QMS, basic census data has found drops in the breeding sheep population in Scotland (around 5%) and the breeding cow herd (around 5%) over the last decade. However, QMS pointed out, growth in the dairy herd obscured a fall in the beef cow herd of 9%. At the same time, the last decade has seen a rise of 8% in breeding sow numbers.
Stuart Ashworth, QMS director of economics services, said these statistics can hide some of the technical efficiencies the sector has experienced.
“While the dairy herd shows growth in females that have calved, the number of dairy females over two-years-old without calves has significantly reduced suggesting a continued move to calving at a younger age over the past decade,” said Mr Ashworth.
He pointed to a similar pattern in the beef cow sector; as cow numbers fell, the number of over two-year-old females without calves fell faster, which suggests a higher proportion have already had a calf. Over the past decade, he said, the average age at which Scottish prime Scotland are slaughtered has dropped.
Though such changes may be small and incremental, Mr Ashworth said, “over a decade the movements become significant at around two weeks or around 2-3%”.
In the same period, QMS said carcasses have become around 10-15 kg heavier which has in some cases resulted in more becoming too heavy for premium retail. Some of this was reversed from 2016 to 2018, but the weights are inching up again.
However, said Mr Ashworth, beef producers have gradually improved technical efficiency over the past decade.
“The push for further technical efficiencies associated with animal growth rates and feed efficiencies will not diminish in the next decade as, among other things, they contribute significantly to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving environmental sustainability,” he said.
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