The UK cattle population declined 1% year-on-year in 2025; while the UK sheep flock saw a decline of 2.1% in the same period.
This is according to new data released by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Starting with cattle, the UK population stood at 9.06 million head as of December 1, 2025, according to Defra’s latest inventory data, representing a 1% fall year-on-year.
The female breeding herd totalled 3.08 million head, down 1.7% year-on-year.
Suckler cows continued to drive this contraction, with the herd losing 40,000 head (3.1%) year-on-year.
While a continuation of recent trends, this latest change in the suckler herd represents the slowest rate of contraction recorded since December 2022.
Dairy cow numbers also contracted versus last year but by a smaller margin, with numbers back 15,000 head (-1%).
According to Defra, this is likely driven by lower dairy prices encouraging producers to cull weaker performers in their herds.
The number of cattle aged between one and two years also fell year-on-year, with nearly 32,000 head fewer cattle recorded (including both males and females) in December 2025 compared to the year before.
This reflects the tightness in supply that has supported cattle prices at elevated levels in recent months, according to Defra
Cattle populations aged under one-year-old showed more stability, with numbers at 2.83 million head (-0.2% year-on-year).
Growth in male calf numbers just about outweighed a small reduction in female calf numbers.
Sheep population trends
The UK sheep flock stood at 20.45 million head as of December 1, 2025, down 2.1% on year-on-year
Annual contractions were seen in both the female breeding flock and the “other sheep and lambs” category.
Defra noted that due to unvalidated Welsh data for December 2025, data from December 2024 has been included in the latest UK total for sheep. Data will be revised and updated as validated data becomes available.
The English sheep flock totalled 9.42 million head at December 1, 2025, a contraction of 5.5% versus the same date in 2024.
The female breeding flock contracted by 2% between December 2024 and 2025, to stand at 5.70 million head as of the latest count.
Meanwhile, the number of sheep and lambs outside of the breeding flock totalled 3.72 million head. This was 10.4% lower than December 2024.
AHDB
According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), these lower figures from Defra support the board’s forecast of a smaller lamb crop in 2025.
“We’d expect contraction in the breeding flock at December to continue to limit lamb numbers for the 2026 lambing season,” AHDB said.
“However the conditions through the spring will be a key influence on rearing rates, and by extension, sheep supplies for the coming year.”