Milk recording results - France 2024
Cattle
27,020 herds provided 1,791,114 qualified lactations in 2024. Decreasing respectively from 6% and 4.7% the herd number and the number of qualified lactations confirm the trend observed since several years. The three main French national breeds (Prim’Holstein, Montbéliarde and Normande) represent henceforth 89.4% of the total of qualified lactations (-0.4% compared to 2023). With 50.1 %, the percentage of herds of more than 60 qualified lactations increased again in 2024, confirming the upward trend observed for several years (48.7 en 2023, 48,2% in 2022, 46.8 in 2021 and 2020, 47.5 in 2019, 45.1% in 2018 and 40.1% in 2017). With an average milk production for complete lactations at 8,993Kg, the milk yield is increasing in 2024 (+55kg). In the same time the average lactation duration is stable at 346 days. Mean fat and protein reaches respectivly 40.9 g/Kg (+0.1) and 33.1 g/Kg (+0.3). Unlike in previous years, the cellular situation will not improve in 2024. The proportion of lactations for which all the test-dates obtain cell counts lower than 300.000 cells and the proportion of lactations having at least 2 test-dates with cell counts higher than 800.000 reach respectively 58.1% et 10.7% (58.7 % and 10.2% in 2023).
Goat
With 223,132 the number of qualified lactations is decreasing in 2024 (-3,310 lactations -1.5%). At the same time, the number of flocks decrease and reach 1,388 flocks (- 4.7%). Flocks with more than 250 lactations represent 21% of herds and 49.3 % of lactations. The two main breeds (Alpine and Saanen) represent henceforth 96.9% of the total of qualified lactations. After a increase periode, with only 36.9% (-0.4%), the proportion of primiparous dairy goats decrease in 2024 (+0,8% en 2019, +1,7% en 2020, +0,5% en 2021, +0.6 en 2022, +0,7 en 2023). With an average at 1027 Kg the milk yield per goat passes the 1000 Kg mark for the third time (1002 Kg in 2022). Lactation duration increases significantly again and reach 337 days confirming the trend observed for a few years (298 days in 2014). Meanwhile protein and fat rates reach 33.8 g/Kg for true-protein (+0.2 g) and 37.8 g/Kg for fat (+0.24 g). A simplified milk recording (CLS), not presented in this document, exists in addition to the Official Milk Recording (CLO) the results of which are presented in this document. Simplified milk recording concerns 378 (- 0.5 %) herds and 74,317 (-2%) goats in 2024.
Sheep
The total number of ewes present at the lambing period in 2024 reaches 338,993 ewes, representing a soft decrease of 617 ewes (-0,2%) ewes. At the same time the total number of ewes with lactation calculation decreased to 282,366 (-1,2%). This variation confirms the trend observed the previous year. 732 flocks are submitted to Official Milk Recording in 2024, a figure similar to that of the previous year. Meanwhile, with 462 ewes, the average size of the flock is increasing, yet with a slower speed than the previous years (460 ewes in 2023, 452 ewes in 2022, 447 ewes in 2021, 441ewes in 2020, 433 in 2019 and 428 in 2018). In 2024, at the national level, the average milk yield per ewe is slightly decreasing at 301.1 liters (-3.5 litres) in 173 days of lactation during the milking period. Beyond this national average, variations are observed at breeds levels. Indeed, in 2024 while average milk yield in Lacaune, Manech Tête Rousse and Manech Tête Noire breeds production is decreasing from respectively -7.7 litres, -4.8 litres and – 4 litres, Basco Béarnaise production is stable (+0.2 Liters) and Corse breed production is increasing (+9.7 litres). A simplified milk recording, corresponding to the D recording method in the ICAR guidelines and not presented in this document, exists in addition to the Official Milk Recording AC design. It concerns commercial flocks out of the selection nucleus (while the Official Milk Recording is devoted only to breeders involved in the selection program). 1,102 flocks and 517,242 ewes present at the lambing period were submitted to D recording in 2024.