A new report from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) shows that it is “theoretically possible” to produce the same amount of milk from just 83 million cows in the UK as opposed to the current 265 million. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), UK dairy cows are “world-class,” producing over 200 percent more milk than the global average. 

“The UK dairy herd has been shaped in recent decades by an increasing emphasis on improved genetics. Genetics allows us to selec and breed from healthy and high producing individuals, ensuring consistent and resilient herds. This has enabled us to address both health and fertility concerns. For example, we have seen significant improvements in udder health and more recently improved fertility,” explains Marco Winters, head of animal genetics at AHDB.

Reducing the world’s population of dairy cows could dramatically reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and land demands of milk and dairy production, the AHDB highlights. 

However, consumers will not necessarily need to curb their love of dairy, as fewer cows don’t have to mean less milk, cheese and yogurt, says AHDB. 

Of the top milk-producing nations, the UK’s 1.9 million cows are the second most productive in the world, producing 15 billion liters of milk every year. 

If average global production rates were to increase from the current 2,500 liters per year to those seen in the UK, the global dairy herd could be reduced by up to 70 percent.

Dairy’s environmental impact
Dairy production differs greatly across the globe, influenced by cattle breeds, environmental constraints such as climate, socio-economics and culture. 

Such dramatic reductions would “inevitably have an impact on dairy’s environmental impact,” such as methane emissions and land use, says Chris Gooderham, lead dairy analyst at the AHDB.

“Cutting carbon emissions across all contributing sectors is a priority for national governments, scientists and policymakers alike. But the ever-increasing population and extreme weather present food security and affordability as of equal importance,” explains Dr. Jonathan Foot, head of environment at AHDB.

“In the UK, our climate allows for some of the most [environmentally] sustainable milk production in the world, as 60 percent of our farmland is grassland – ideal for grazing cows,” he continues. 

“However, it is also our focus on improving efficiencies and productivity that make it so. This focus is what is, and will be, required globally to drive down emissions while continuing to deliver key staple food groups to billions,” Dr. Foot notes. 

Over the last 25 years, impressive production rates have contributed to the UK dairy herd shrinking by almost 30 percent, while UK production has increased by 4 percent.