In the first quarter of 2026, a further decrease in the number of cows was recorded in Ukraine not only in personal farms, but also on industrial farms.
This is reported by the AgroReview portal.
As of April 1, 2026, the country has 1 million 771,100 heads of cattle, of which 948,200 are cows. Compared to March 1 of this year, the number of cows decreased by 4,900 heads, which is a 1% decrease. If we compare it with the same date last year, the number of cattle decreased by 367,000 heads (-17%), and the number of cows - by 202,000 (-18%).
About 54% of all animals are kept at industrial enterprises, while 46% are kept in private households.
The industrial sector currently keeps 949,600 cattle, which is 1,000 less (-0.1%) compared to March 2026. The number of cows here is 393,800, having decreased by 1,200 (-0.3%) per month. At the same time, over the year, the number of cattle at enterprises increased by 32,800 (+4%), and the number of cows - by 16,600 (+4%).
At the beginning of April, 554,400 cows are kept in households - this is 4,000 less (-1%) compared to the previous month. Over the year, the number of cattle in the private sector decreased by 400,000 (-33%), and cows - by 218,000 (-28%).
"For the second month in a row, the number of cows has been decreasing not only in the household sector, but also on industrial dairy farms. Increasing production costs and low purchase prices, the level of which in some farms does not even cover the cost of raw milk, are putting pressure on the producer. There is also a sharp reduction in the number of livestock in agricultural enterprises in the east and south of the country as a result of russian aggression. They are forced to relocate cows to safer regions of central and western Ukraine. In March, Ukraine did not import heifers. Farmers have taken a wait-and-see attitude in the face of unfavorable market conditions," the association explained.
Thus, the trend towards reducing the number of cows remains relevant for both homestead and industrial farms. The main reasons include high production costs, low purchase prices for milk, as well as the consequences of military operations, which force enterprises to change the geography of the herd.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.