Livestock on agricultural holdings: reference date 1 April and 1 December

Livestock on agricultural holdings: reference date 1 April and 1 December

Farm animals Periods Livestock (x 1000)
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2024 December 1,527
Dairy cows (>= 2 years) 2025 April* 1,529
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2024 December 94
Dairy goats 7 months to 1 year 2025 April* 28
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2024 December 403
Dairy goats 1 year or older 2025 April* 445
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains data on the number of cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks for slaughter and pigs on Dutch agricultural holdings. The number of animals is determined on April 1st and December1st .
The number of animals can differ from those in the tables of the agricultural census (see ‘links to relevant tables and relevant articles).
In the agricultural census the number of veal calves, fattening pigs, chicken and turkey are, from 2018 onwards, adjusted in the case of temporary breaks in the production cycle (e.g. sanitary cleaning).
The agricultural census is a structural survey, in which adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle is a.o. relevant for the calculation of the economic size of the holding, and its farm type.
In the livestock surveys the number of animals on the reference day is relevant, therefore no adjustment for temporary breaks in the production cycle are made.

Data available from: 1 April 2018.

Status of the figures:
The 2025 figures are provisional; the other figures are final.

Changes as of October 10, 2025:
The provisional figures for the April 2025 have been updated. The provisional figures for young sheep, young goats, and poultry have been added.

When will new figures be available?
The provisional figures for April will be published in September and will be updated in October and February.
The provisional figures for December will be published in February of the following year.
The final figures for April and December will be published in May of the following year.

Description topics

Livestock
Total livestock includes the following livestock categories observed in the agricultural census: - cattle; - sheep and goats; - fattening pigs and breeding pigs (including piglets); - poultry (excluding other poultry: geese, pheasants, ostriches, guinea fowls and such).