Cow & Farms Data
Dairy farms are located in all states of Australia. However, most of Australia's milk production takes place in the south-east corner of the country.
South-east Australia’s climate and natural resources are generally favourable to dairying and allow the industry to be predominantly pasture-based. In an average year, approximately 60%–65% of cattle feed requirements in south-eastern Australia comes from grazing. This results in cost efficient, high-quality milk production.
Most farms are in coastal areas where pasture growth is generally reliant on rainfall. Nevertheless, there are several inland dairying areas reliant on irrigation, most notably in northern Victoria and the New South Wales Riverina.
Farm numbers
Since 1979-80 the number of dairy farms in Australia has fallen by almost three quarters, to 5,055 in 2019–20. The trend in farm numbers has previously followed changes in farmgate milk prices from season to season. Strong prices tend to either slow the rate of attrition or even reverse the long-term trend. Periods of weaker farmgate prices and/or adverse seasonal conditions can accelerate the trend, as more farmers choose to sell their properties, or transition to other farming activities such as beef cattle production.
Nevertheless, falling farm numbers reflect a trend in agriculture around the world. Changing business practices have encouraged a shift to larger, more intensive farming systems with greater economies of scale.
Number of registered dairy farms in Australia
YEAR |
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
TAS |
AUST |
1979–80 |
3,601 |
11,467 |
3,052 |
1,730 |
622 |
1,522 |
21,994 |
1989–90 |
2,220 |
8,840 |
1,970 |
969 |
496 |
901 |
15,396 |
1999–00 |
1,725 |
7,806 |
1,545 |
667 |
419 |
734 |
12,896 |
2005–06 |
1,024 |
5,892 |
802 |
383 |
245 |
498 |
8,844 |
2006–07 |
924 |
5,346 |
734 |
354 |
222 |
475 |
8,055 |
2007–08 |
886 |
5,422 |
664 |
332 |
186 |
463 |
7,953 |
2008–09 |
860 |
5,462 |
648 |
320 |
183 |
451 |
7,924 |
2009–10 |
820 |
5,159 |
621 |
306 |
165 |
440 |
7,511 |
2010–11 |
807 |
4,588 |
595 |
286 |
170 |
437 |
6,883 |
2011–12 |
778 |
4,556 |
555 |
275 |
162 |
444 |
6,770 |
2012–13 |
731 |
4,284 |
518 |
268 |
160 |
437 |
6,398 |
2013-14 |
710 |
4,268 |
475 |
264 |
156 |
435 |
6,308 |
2014–15 |
704 |
4,127 |
448 |
252 |
157 |
440 |
6,128 |
2015-16 |
690 |
4,141 |
421 |
246 |
151 |
430 |
6,079 |
2016–17 |
661 |
3,998 |
406 |
240 |
148 |
427 |
5,771 |
2017–18 |
626 |
3,881 |
393 |
228 |
159 |
412 |
5,699 |
2018–19 |
575 |
3,516 |
356 |
212 |
150 |
404 |
5,213 |
2019–20 (p) |
534
|
3,462
|
327
|
206
|
135
|
391
|
5,055
|
Herd size
While the number of farms across Australia has decreased, the average herd size is growing. In 1985 the average herd size was 93 cows and in 2019–20 it had grown to 279. There is also an emerging trend of large farm operations of more than 700 dairy cattle.
Despite the increase in average herd sizes over the longer term, one of the variables placing a limitation on total milk production in recent years has been a decreasing national herd. One factor contributing to this situation is the increased volatility in farm cash incomes. This has led many farmers to participate in the export heifer trade or sell dairy cows for slaughter in an attempt to stabilise farm income. In 2019/20 the national herd decreased as a challenging start to the year resulted in an increase in farm exits and a move to smaller herd sizes on many farms.
The dominant breed in Australia is the Holstein, accounting for around two thirds of all dairy cattle. Other important breeds include the Jersey, the Holstein/Jersey cross, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and local breeds, the Australian Red and the Illawarra.
Number of dairy cows in Australia
YEAR |
NSW |
VIC |
QLD |
SA |
WA |
TAS |
AUST |
At March 31 |
|||||||
1979–80 |
311 |
1,047 |
247 |
103 |
71 |
103 |
1,880 |
1989–90 |
238 |
968 |
201 |
89 |
64 |
92 |
1,654 |
1999–00 |
289 |
1,337 |
195 |
105 |
65 |
139 |
2,171 |
New Series |
|||||||
2005–06 |
222 |
1,217 |
127 |
104 |
67 |
143 |
1,880 |
2006–07 |
210 |
1,150 |
121 |
114 |
60 |
140 |
1,796 |
2007–08 |
195 |
1,055 |
100 |
103 |
54 |
134 |
1,641 |
2008–09 |
201 |
1,061 |
107 |
106 |
52 |
149 |
1,676 |
2009–10 |
203 |
1,014 |
98 |
92 |
55 |
134 |
1,596 |
2010–11 |
195 |
1,010 |
97 |
90 |
59 |
138 |
1,589 |
2011–12 |
204 |
1,115 |
101 |
76 |
57 |
148 |
1,700 |
2012–13 |
210 |
1,096 |
96 |
77 |
62 |
148 |
1,688 |
2013-14 |
181 |
1,093 |
98 |
73 |
66 |
137 |
1,647 |
2014–15 |
177 |
1,147 |
91 |
68 |
59 |
147 |
1,689 |
2015-16 |
182 |
1,005 |
89 |
78 |
60 |
149 |
1,562 |
2016–17 |
164 |
975 |
86 |
71 |
64 |
160 |
1,520 |
2017–18 |
166 |
1,023 |
85 |
67 |
56 |
149 |
1,547 |
2018–19 |
149 |
898 |
78 |
72 |
56 |
175 |
1,428 |
2019–20 (e) |
145
|
895
|
65
|
69
|
54
|
182
|
1,411
|
Supplementary feeding
Total mixed ration (TMR) dairying continues to be less common in Australia, but the use of supplementary feed – grains, hay and silage – is widespread. Supplementary feeding has increased significantly over the past decade as farmers adapt to drier conditions. Such changes in production systems have introduced an added input cost and additional level of risk in the variability of farm returns.
The 2020 Dairy Australia National Dairy Farmer Survey showed that nearly all dairy farmers engaged in some level of supplementary feeding. In 2019/20 the national average was around 1.7 tonnes per cow per year, up slightly from the previous year. Feeding moderate to high levels of concentrates remains the most common feed system and in 2019/20 supplementary feeding increased in all regions. Supplementary feeding grew especially strongly in South Australia, to an average of 2.1 tonnes
per cow per year.