New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2014-15

The total cow population in the 2014/15 season was 5.02 million (Table 2.2), an increase of 1.9% over the previous season. This is the first
time cows milked have surpassed 5 million. In 2007/08 (7 seasons ago) cows milked surpassed 4 million for the first time. Average effective
hectares increased slightly to 146 hectares. A stocking rate of 2.87 cows per hectare was similar to previous seasons. Total effective hectares
(support block excluded) were 1.75 million – an increase of about 30,000 ha on the previous season.
Table 2.2: Summary of herd statistics since 1975/76
Season Herds Total
cows
Total effective
hectares a
Average
herd size
Average effective
hectares b
Average cows per
hectare b
1975/76 18,442 2,091,950 - 113 - -
1980/81 16,089 2,027,096 - 126 - -
1985/86 15,753 2,321,012 1,008,192 147 64 2.30
1990/91 14,685 2,402,145 1,023,545 164 70 2.35
1991/92 14,452 2,438,641 - 169 - -
1992/93 14,458 2,603,049 1,069,892 180 74 2.43
1993/94 14,597 2,736,452 1,122,509 188 77 2.44
1994/95 14,649 2,830,977 1,175,940 193 80 2.41
1995/96 14,736 2,935,759 1,208,352 199 82 2.43
1996/97 14,741 3,064,523 1,267,726 208 86 2.42
1997/98 14,673 3,222,591 1,276,551 220 87 2.52
1998/99 14,362 3,289,319 1,306,942 229 91 2.52
1999/00 13,861 3,269,362 1,292,566 236 93 2.53
2000/01 13,892 3,485,883 1,329,173 251 96 2.62
2001/02 13,649 3,692,703 1,404,930 271 103 2.63
2002/03 13,140 3,740,637 1,463,281 285 111 2.56
2003/04 12,751 3,851,302 1,421,147 302 111 2.71
2004/05 12,271 3,867,659 1,411,594 315 115 2.74
2005/06 11,883 3,832,145 1,398,966 322 118 2.74
2006/07 11,630 3,916,812 1,412,925 337 121 2.77
2007/08 11,436 4,012,867 1,436,549 351 126 2.79
2008/09 11,618 4,252,881 1,519,117 366 131 2.80
2009/10 11,691 4,396,675 1,563,495 376 134 2.81
2010/11 11,735 4,528,736 1,638,706 386 140 2.76
2011/12 11,798 4,634,226 1,638,546 393 139 2.83
2012/13 11,891 4,784,250 1,677,395 402 141 2.85
2013/14 11,927 4,922,806 1,716,464 413 144 2.87
2014/15 11,970 5,018,333 1,746,156 419 146 2.87
- Not available
a
Total effective hectares between 1981/82 and 1999/00 are estimates.
b
Average effective hectares and average cows per hectare for 1981/82 to 1990/91 are based on factory supply herds only.
Note: The number of cows used to calculate the average herd size since 1992/93 includes all cows lactating in that season, whereas in earlier years the number of
cows used to produce the average herd size was based only on those cows lactating on 31 December. This change in method has had a small effect on reported
cow numbers
New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2014-15 7