Milk recording results of cattle, goats and sheep - France – Year 2025
CATTLE:
25,439 herds provided 1,705,130 qualified lactations in 2025. Decreasing respectively from 5.9 % and 4.8% 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 % of the total of qualified lactations (-0.4% compared to 2023). With 50.9 %, the percentage of herds of more than 60 qualified lactations increased again in 2024, confirming the upward trend observed for several years (50.1% in 2024, 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 9,156 Kg, the milk yield is increasing in 2025 (+163 kg). In the same time the average lactation duration is stable at 346 days. Mean fat and protein are stable with respectivly 40.9 g/Kg (+0.1) and 33.1 g/Kg (+0.3). Regarding the cellular situation, the degradation trend observed the previous year is not confirming in 2025. With 59.9 % of lactations for which all the test-dates obtain cell counts lower than 300.000 cells and 10.6 % of lactations having at least 2 test-dates with cell counts higher than 800.000 the year 2025 seams renew with the positiv trend observed since 2015.
GOAT:
With 217,609 the number of qualified lactations is decreasing in 2025 (-5,523 lactations -2.5%). At the same time, the number of flocks decrease and reach 1,323 flocks (- 4.7%). Flocks with more than 250 lactations represent 21.3 % of herds and 49.5 % of lactations. The two main breeds (Alpine and Saanen) represent henceforth 96.9% of the total of qualified lactations. After a increase période observed from 2019 to 2023, with only 36.1% (-0.8%), the proportion of primiparous dairy goats decrease in 2025 confirming the decreasing trend observed in 2024 (+0,8% en 2019, +1,7% en 2020, +0,5% en 2021, +0.6 en 2022, +0,7 en 2023, -0.4% in 2024). With an average at 1009 Kg the milk yield is clairly decreasing in 2025 (-18 Kg). After a increasing period from 2014 to 2024, with 332 days, lactation duration decrease significantly in 2025 (-5 days). Meanwhile protein rate is stable at 33.8 g/Kg and fat rate reach 37.9 g/Kg (+0.1). 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 362 (- 4.2 %) herds and 73,190 (-1.5%) goats in 2025.
SHEEP:
The total number of ewes present at the lambing period in 2025 reaches 345,655 ewes, representing an increase of 6,662 ewes (+2%). At the same time the total number of ewes with lactation calculation increased and reached 289,199 (+2,4 %), ending the downward trend observed for the past two years. 741 flocks are submitted to Official Milk Recording in 2025. That's 9 more than the previous year. Meanwhile, with 466 ewes, the average size of the flock is increasing (+4 ewes). In 2025, at the national level, the average milk yield per ewe is increasing at 314.9 liters (+13.8 liters) in 174 days of lactation during the milking period. Except for the Corse breed for which the average milk yield per ewe has remained unchanged, the increase milk yield is observed in all other breeds (Lacaune +17.5 liters, Manech Tête Rousse + 7.7 liters, Basco Béarnaise +6.9 liters and Manech Tête Noire +6.7 liters). 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). 1,062 flocks and 506,373 ewes present at the lambing period were submitted to D recording in 2025.