Cow pastures characterize the landscape in many parts of Bavaria – but the associated farmers are becoming rare.
Fürth (dpa / lby) – The number of Bavarian farmers with cattle in the barn has fallen to a new low of less than 40,000 this year. According to the State Statistical Office, there were still 39,815 cattle farms as of the reporting date on November 3 – two percent less than a year earlier.
Fewer farmers also keep fewer cattle. However, the number of animals is declining far less rapidly than that of farmers because the remaining farmers are increasing their herds. As of the reporting date, the authority counted 2.87 million cattle, 0.6 percent fewer than at the beginning of November 2021. An average Bavarian herd now has 72 animals, one more than a year ago.
The extent of structural change becomes clear in a long-term comparison. At the end of 1971, almost 267,000 Bavarian farmers kept cattle, almost seven times as many as today. The number of animals was also considerably higher at 4.5 million half a century ago.
