Cow numbers escalate

New Zealand's dairy cow population is increasing at a greater rate than its resident human population, statistics released recently show.

In 2010-11, the total number of dairy cows increased by 132,000 to just over 4.5 million cows - an increase of 3% over the previous season.

Along with the growth in cow numbers, it was also a record year for average production per cow, up 5% to 334kg milk solids (comprising 190kg milkfat and 144kg protein).

Dairy companies processed 17.3 billion litres of milk, with the total milk solids processed increasing from 1.44 billion kg in 2009-10 to 1.51 billion kg.

The increase in milk processed was being attributed to a combination of more cows milked and an increase in production per cow, after an exceptionally good 2011 autumn for dairying.

The highest average production per dairy herd (285,412kg of milk solids), per hectare (1249kg) and per cow (377kg) were recorded in North Canterbury.

South Island farms have, on average, higher per herd production than herds in the North Island, reflecting a combination of larger herd sizes, a high stock rate and high kilograms of milk solids per cow.

For the third consecutive year, the total number of herds increased (by 44 to 117,735) and the average herd size (386) increased by 10 cows - a trend consistent over the past 30 seasons, during which the average herd size has more than tripled. In the past eight seasons, it has increased by more than 100 cows.