HC Deb 21 May 1982 vol 24 c209W
Mr. David Steel

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the decrease in numbers in the national beef herd in each of the last six years.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

About two-thirds of our beef supplies come from the dairy herd, and one-third from the beef herd. Figures for the United Kingdom herds, based on the respective December censuses, are as follows:

Dairy Cows Beef Cows (million head)
1976 3.318 1.747
1977 3.327 1.641
1978 (old basis) 3.388 1.594
(new basis) 3.392 1.602
1979 3.333 1.522
1980 3.277 1.451
1981 3.295 1.410

Note:

From 1978 the coverage of the published census results was changed to include very small holdings, but this had only a slight effect on the figures.

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