Region sees drop in cattle herds

CATTLE herd numbers in Scotland are at their lowest ever, it has been revealed. Statistics released by the Scottish Government under freedom of information show a 15,000 decline in livestock numbers last year compared to 2024. However, Dumfries and Galloway currently has substantially more cattle than anywhere else in the country, with about 422,000, which is 4000 less than in 2021. In 2025, there were 134,599 female dairy cows locally, as well as 110,220 female beef; 42,361 male cattle; and 134,634 calves. Moray farmer Tim Eagle, who put in the FOI request, said: “The continued decline in cattle numbers is hugely worrying and underlines the difficulty our farmers face in maintaining the numbers needed for their businesses to survive. “This is not only an issue for our rural communities, but it also poses a major threat to our nation’s food security. “The SNP have failed to give our farmers proper funding, have not done enough to encourage new farmers into the sector and put climate goals ahead of protecting our good quality farmland and food security.” And he has called for ‘dedicated support’ to farmers to safeguard cattle numbers for generations to come.