GB calf registrations: Births to dairy dams increase in Q2 2025

The latest BCMS data shows that births to dairy dams in Q2 2025 increased year-on-year by 3.6% to total 309,000 head, the highest number recorded for this period since 2019.

Birth registrations were up 3.9% in April, 1.6% in May and 5.5% in June, year on year. Positive movement above the 5-year average (years 2020-2024) has been seen from March to May, indicating more spring calving in the dairy herd.

For the first six months of 2025, total registrations out of the dairy herd were up 1.9% year on year, reaching 717,000 head.

Looking back to 2024, milk prices began to increase through the summer and autumn, when breeding decisions would have been made for the cows that calved in early 2025. The milk to feed price ratio has remained in the expansion zone, and increased milk flows indicate producer responsiveness to improved margins.

Concerns over Bluetongue spread and its potential impact on future herd size (through reduced fertility and challenges in sourcing replacement heifers) may have also encouraged greater birth numbers.

Previous figures showed lower births in the spring and more in the autumn. As autumn calving commences, it will be interesting to see whether autumn block calving remains as popular as last year. Will we see another second spike in births?

Although milk prices are currently good, challenges such as extreme weather conditions, financial pressures and increased environmental regulations continue to weigh on producer sentiment. AHDB’s recent producer survey estimated a loss of 160 producers between October 2024 and April 2025. The uptick in births suggests that significant numbers of cows were likely sold on to other producers, contributing to consolidation of the industry.

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