Dairy calf registrations in Britain declined by nearly 13 percent at the end of 2024, marking the lowest figure ever recorded for a fourth quarter.
Calf registrations to dairy dams totalled 314,000 head, according to the latest British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) data.
This is a decline of 46,000 (12.7%) head compared to the same period in the previous year.
Looking at the full year data for 2024, registrations were recorded at 1.48 million head, a 2.4% decline compared to the year before.
Year-on-year increases recorded in Q1 and Q3 were dragged down by significant decline in Q4, the data shows.
BCMS figures also show a decline in the GB milking herd, driven by decline in the number of younger cows.
Comparing to the five-year average, registrations in Q3 2024 were up almost 13,000 (3%) head while that in Q2 was down 4,400 (1.5%) head.
Looking at the figures, Soumya Behera, AHDB senior analyst, said this supported a change in calving systems.
"More calves were born to dairy dams in autumn and less in the summer when compared historically, as farms adopt block calving systems."
Considering annual registrations for 2024 (-2.4% year-on-year), milk deliveries in Britain last year were marginally higher.
"This suggests that milk yields were supported by the rising milk prices and favourable milk to feed price ratio in the second half of 2024," Ms Behera added.
"However, the overall decline in calf registrations for 2024 would mean fewer younger heifers mature into the milking herd, having the potential to impact milk output in the longer-term."
