Milk recording results of cattle, goats and sheep - France 2022

CATTLE :

32,669 herds provided 1,968,566 qualified lactations in 2022. Decreasing respectively from 6.7% and 6.6% 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 90.2% of the total of qualified lactations (-0.4% compared to 2021). With 48.2 %, the percentage of herds of more than 60 qualified lactations which was stable the previous year increased again in 2022, confirming the upward trend observed for several years (46.8% in 2021 and 2020, 47.5% in 2019, 45.1% in 2018 and 40.1% in 2017). At the same time, with 69.8% the rate of qualified lactations they represent follow the same trend (68.8% in 2021 and 2020, 69% in 2019, 66.9% in 2018 and 63.1% in 2017). With an average milk production for complete lactations at 8,878 Kg, the milk yield is slight decreasing in 2022 (-9kg). At the same time the average lactation duration reach 345 days (+1 day). Mean fat and protein rates follow diffrent trends. Mean fat is stable at 40.6 g/kg while mean proteins is decrasing at 32.7 g/kg (-0.1). A noticeable improvement in somatic cell count situation is again observed. 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 57.9% et 10.3%.

GOAT :

With 233,461 the number of qualified lactations is slightly decreasing in 2022 (-2,317 lactations -1%). At the same time, the number of flocks is slightly increasing to reach 1,466 flocks (+0.6%). Flocks with more than 250 lactations represent 20.6% of herds and 48.2% of lactations. The two main breeds (Alpine and Saanen) represent henceforth 96.6% of the total of qualified lactations. The proportion of primiparous dairy goats is slightly increasing and reaches 36.6 % (+0.6%), confirming the trend observed since 2018 (+0.8% in 2019, +1.7% in 2020, +0.5% in 2021). With an average at 1002 Kg the milk yield per goat passes the 1000 Kg mark for the first time. Lactation duration increases significantly and reach 327 days (+6) confirming the trend observed for a few years (298 days in 2014). Meanwhile true-protein is stable at 33.6 g/Kg and with 37.5 g/Kg fat rates is decreasing (-0.2). 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 352 herds and 70,330 goats in 2022.

SHEEP :

Increasing by 5,810 (+1.7%), the total number of ewes present at the lambing period reached 340,981 in 2022. At the same time the total number of ewes with lactation calculation raised to 4,600 and reached 289,921 (+1.6%). This increase of the ewes number on official milk recording (CLO) confirms the trend observed the previous years. 754 flocks are counted up in Official Milk Recording in 2022, a figure slightly over the one in the previous year. Meanwhile, with 452 ewes, the average size of flock still progressed in 2022 (447 ewes in 2021, 441 ewes in 2020, 433 in 2019 and 428 in 2018). In 2022, at the national level, with an average of 298.2 liters (-1 liter) in 172 days of lactation during the milking period (+1 day) the milk yield is slightly decreasing. Excepted for the Corse breed that shows an increase in milk yield (+0.7 liter), in all the other breeds, milk yields are more or less decreasing: -0,4 liter in Lacaune breed, -0,6 liter in Manech Tête Noire breed, -2,1 liters in Basco Béarnaise breed and -6 liters in Manech Tête Rousse breed. 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). 1,151 flocks and 527,735 ewes present at the lambing period were submitted to D recording in 2022.