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Insight Horizon Media

Is dairy farming profitable in Ireland?

Author

Michael Henderson

Published Mar 14, 2026

Is dairy farming profitable in Ireland?

Dairy farms are certainly profitable but they are also heavily in debt. The 2019 National Farm Survey showed two-thirds of Irish dairy farmers in debt on average to the tune of over €110,000, with levels increasing over the past five years.

How many dairy farmers are in Ireland in 2020?

Over 18,000 dairy farmers milk Ireland’s 1.55 million dairy cows.

How many dairy farmers in Ireland?

18,000 dairy farmers
There are 18,000 dairy farmers in Ireland, producing milk of an outstanding quality from over 1.2 million dairy cows.

How much do dairy farmers make in Ireland?

Average income: €74,236 (+12%) Overall, dairy farm incomes increased from an average of €66,000 in 2019 to €74,236. Teagasc’s principal research officer Trevor Donnellan said this was due to an increase in milk price and a slight 4% increase in average milk output per farm.

Are Irish farmers rich?

Our average farmer is not wealthy, though they may own assets in the form of land. The overwhelming majority (80 per cent) of farmers work on either a very small, small or medium-sized farm; and 93 per cent of farmers as a whole work either alone or with the help of family, as fig.

What is the most profitable farming in Ireland?

Irish dairy farmers the most profitable in Europe, reports shows 10 November 2020 Premium. Irish dairy farmers make a net profit margin that is 43% higher when compared with their European counterparts, according to a new report.

How much profit does a dairy cow make in Ireland?

What is the profitability of the top performing dairy herds? Top performing dairy herds are exceeding €1,000 profit per cow. At stocking rates of 2.5 cows per ha these farms are generating over €2,500 profit per hectare.

What is the biggest dairy farm in Ireland?

Greenhills farm
Greenhills farm is Ireland’s largest dairy farm where the Brownes operate from a 486ha (1,200 acres) platform, of which 166ha is leased. Much of the leased land is located within two miles of the home farm and is used for silage or zero-grazing, if needed.

How many cows does an average dairy farm have?

However, like much of agriculture, dairy farms come in a wide range of sizes. The largest U.S. dairy farms have over 15,000 cows, though farms with 1,000–5,000 cows are more common. Large dairy farms account for most inventory and production in Western States, and a growing share of produc- tion elsewhere.

How profitable is dairy farming?

416 liters of milk are obtained daily from these 35 cattle while the average price of one liter is Rs 60. In this way, his total income per day is Rs 24,960 while the total expenditure per day comes to Rs 14,900. Hence, he gets a net profit of Rs. 3, 01,800 per month which is a huge profit.

What is the average dairy herd size in Ireland?

80 cows
While there has been only a modest change in the number of dairy farms in the last decade, the average herd size has grown considerably. The average Irish dairy farm now has more than 80 cows, with many farms having in excess of 100 cows.

How do farmers make money in Ireland?

Ways To Make Money Farming In Ireland

  1. Dairy farming.
  2. Diversification.
  3. Leasing the land.
  4. Forestry and woodlands.
  5. High Nature Value Farming.
  6. Nature conservation and agri-environment schemes.