EU milk yield per cow rises by around 22 percent within ten years

Total milk volume in the EU is nevertheless growing: 158.3 million tonnes are expected for the current year. Compared with 2016, that is "an increase of 7 percent or a good 10 million tonnes of cow's milk", according to the AMA data. The trend toward higher yields more than offsets the decline in herd numbers.

Raw milk volume and use

The same development can be observed in Austria itself: in 2025, total raw milk volume amounted to 158.1 million tonnes – whereby, naturally, this figure relates to national production – and was thus 1.6 percent above the previous year's level. Around 94 percent of this volume was delivered to dairies, as the data shows: "Von der gesamten Rohmilchmenge des Jahres 2025 (158,1 Mio. Tonnen, plus 1,6 Prozent gegenüber 2024) wurden rund 94 Prozent an Molkereien geliefert".

A look at the use of raw milk shows where the products end up: a further 6.7 million tonnes were used on the farm for human consumption or marketed directly. "Weitere 6,7 Mio. Tonnen wurden am Hof für die menschliche Ernährung genutzt oder direkt vermarktet", the AMA analysis states. In addition, 2.7 million tonnes were used to feed youngstock.

The differences between member states are considerable and reflect the respective production conditions. "Deutliche Unterschiede zeigen sich zwischen den Mitgliedsstaaten, was vor allem auf verschiedene Produktionssysteme zurückzuführen ist", the AMA writes. The leaders in 2024 were Denmark, Finland and Estonia, with annual yields of over 10,000 kilograms per cow.

Major differences between member states

At the bottom of the scale are Romania and Bulgaria: "Die niedrigsten Erträge meldeten Rumänien und Bulgarien mit durchschnittlichen Milcherträgen von 3.500 bzw. 4.700 kg Milch je Kuh". This creates a gap of almost 7,000 kilograms per cow and year within the EU between the leaders and the laggards.

The opposing development of herd numbers and yields is not a new phenomenon, but has been continuing for years. "Während die Zahl der Milchkühe in der EU und in Österreich stetig sinkt, steigt genauso andauernd deren Milchleistung", the AMA concludes. The picture is thus similar to that in many other areas of agriculture: fewer animals, more output per animal.

Causes of the yield increase

For observers, it is clear that breeding, feeding, husbandry techniques and animal health make this increase possible. Higher yields per cow, however, simultaneously mean more intensive production – with corresponding demands on the animals' metabolism and fertility. The agricultural statistics record the yield increase, but do not evaluate it.

The AMA data place the figures in a European context and thereby provide both the national milk market and EU policymakers with an important basis for decision-making. Topics such as sustainability, animal welfare and climate efficiency are discussed in Brussels and Vienna along the lines of such indicators.

The growing total milk volume despite falling animal numbers is made possible above all by technological and genetic advances. Over the years, dairy breeds with significantly higher genetic potential have been spread through breeding, while feed quality and barn management have improved at the same time.

The European milk market is closely integrated into the world market; fluctuations in production, demand and prices have effects beyond the EU. The AMA data offer a snapshot that is updated again and again and points to the stable basic supply of milk products in the member states.

Significance for the market and consumers

For consumers in Austria and the EU, the development means: milk and dairy products remain available in large quantities, while the structure of production is changing. As the AMA summarises, the trend toward higher per-animal yields combined with declining herd numbers is the dominant finding of the past ten years.

The fact that a cow's yield can now stand at over 10,000 kilograms per year, "Mit einer Jahresleistung von über 10.000 kg je Kuh lagen Dänemark, Finnland und Estland im Jahr 2024 an der Spitze", underscores the spread within Europe: high-yield herds in northern and Nordic Europe stand alongside small-scale operations in southeastern Europe, which often still rely more heavily on pasture-based husbandry.

Overall, the data set shows that the dairy sector in Europe is becoming more productive, but not necessarily larger: the increase in total milk volume is accompanied by a decrease in animal numbers, and the yield increase is concentrated in those countries that already use industrialised production systems.