Union warns of declining dairy herds in Scotland amid rising costs

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has warned that more must be done to safeguard the number of dairy herds in Scotland.

Figures released by the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association (SCDA) show a decrease of 30 last year alone.

It’s a concerning situation for farmers such as Bruce Mackie, the chair of the NFU’s milk committee.

He spoke to STV News ahead of another busy day on his Aberdeenshire dairy farm, where more than 200 cows need to be milked.

Mr Mackie said: “It is always disappointing to see a year-on-year decline in the number of Scottish dairy herds a trend that has persisted over the past decade.

”There’s been a few people coming into dairy farming but more have been retiring. The numbers have come down to around 764 dairy herds in Scotland. Along with that decline, the cow numbers have stayed similar because herds have got slightly bigger.”

Rising costs and a lack of workers are among the challenges facing the dairy sector.

Farmers are warning that a lack of milk contract opportunities is hampering the industry’s ability to entice new workers.

But Mr Mackie says he feels optimistic about the future despite the ongoing uncertainty.

He added: “Although the reduction in dairy herds continues, Scottish herds are more resilient than the rest of the UK, which has experienced even greater percentage falls.

‘‘According to the SDCA figures, our herds are producing more milk per cow, which is important for both efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint per litre of milk.

“Globally, Scotland remains a great place to produce nutritious milk competitively, given our temperate maritime climate, well-invested herds with high average yields, and resistance to climate shocks.

“We have a great tradition of skilled stock people, and with continuing investment in processing infrastructure and a global perspective, I am optimistic that our industry has a bright future ahead.”