Fewer dairy cows

The cattle population last December 1 amounted to 19,233 heads, down 2.6 per cent over the corresponding period in 2005, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

Three hundred and thirty-six holdings had cattle, 143 of which produced milk.

Of all the cattle, 88.2 per cent were housed at dairy farms and the remainder were being reared for meat.

Dairy cows declined by 2.4 per cent, from 7,675 heads in 2005 to 7,494 heads last year.

In Malta, the number of cattle declined by 4.6 per cent, whereas in Gozo and Comino they increased by 2.1 per cent over 2005, the NSO said.