The number of dairy cows kept decreasing
According to the preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, there were 95,800 dairy cows in Estonia in 2009, which makes 5% less compared to the previous year.
Although the number of dairy cows has decreased every year since the nineties, the falling trend has decelerated in the last decade. In 2009, for the first time, the number of dairy cows fell below 100,000 heads.
On 31 December 2009, the number of cattle in Estonia amounted to 235,000 (of which 95,800 were dairy cows); there were 364,000 pigs, and 90,900 sheep and goats. The number of pigs did not essentially change compared to the previous year, but the number of sheep and goats increased by 11%.
In 2009, the agricultural producers of Estonia produced 676,100 tons of milk and 172.8 million eggs. 111,600 tons (live weight) of livestock and poultry were slaughtered in holdings or sold for slaughter to meat processing enterprises. Compared to the previous year, milk production decreased by 3% and egg production increased by 18%. Meat production remained at the same level.
In 2009, the average production of milk per cow was 6,849 kilograms, i.e. 68 kilograms more than in the previous year.
The livestock purchased by meat processing enterprises gave 9,100 tons of beef and 28,100 tons of pork. In 2008, the indicators were respectively 9,500 tons and 32,100 tons.
Milk processing enterprises purchased 593,200 tons of milk, in 2008 — 605,900 tons.
Cattle and dairy cows, 1991–2009
