There are now only 3.925 milk production cow herds remaining in Denmark. They supply in total just as much milk as 141.000 herds did 50 years ago.
The milk production sector has been through a dramatic development over the last 50 years or so. Today there are less than 4000 milk production cow herds remaining, as the calculations from the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture record.
In comparison however one cow produces more than double as much milk today as one cow died 50 years ago – about 25 litres / cow today compared to about 12 litres / cow previously. 50 years ago the average size of herd was only 9 cows, where as today there are 146 cows in a herd. In summary we can say that 3.925 herds today produce in total as much milk as 141.000 herds produced in 1961.
Competitiveness and more laws
According to Henrik Nygaard, Advisory Head Cattle, Knowledge Centre for Agriculture the dramatic development has been a result of several factors.
-The economic press that has characterised society over the period to ensure competitiveness also characterised the milk production sector. That resulted in fewer hands to manage more cows, which technology development permitted. But investment in the necessary technology required a bigger production to allow an economic return on the investment, he explained.
At the same time there has been an increasing demand on production conditions – both on animals, staff, and the hygienic conditions related to milking and storage of the fresh milk. That also required investment, which again required a higher production to allow a pay back on the necessary investment. This was the same process as regards the environment demands on the milk producer. To meet the environmental law requirements major investment were required which could only be paid back by having a larger production / bigger herd.
Better cows and farmers
The milk yield from a cow has doubled over the last 50 years and is a result of a better knowledge as to the cows physiology, feeding and management requirements. There has also been a great genetical development in production potential. If one has to weigh the different factors for the production increase it could be said that 33% is due to genetical improvement, 33% improved feeding and 33% improved management.