In a year in which the milk quota system disappeared and heated debate raged on manure legislation, the CRV annual statistics for 2015 reveal that the longevity of Dutch cows has remained stable and the economic performance has increased.

The lifetime production of Dutch dairy cows in the past year (table 1) at 30,868 kg of milk, more or less equals the figure of the record year 2014. The total longevity of the cows (table 3) also remained practically the same.
Just like last year, the average calving interval (table 2) was reduced by one day and is now 415 days. This means good news for the fertility of the herd; the calving interval has been gradually falling for five years.

Breed average

The appendix (table 2) shows the average production for Dutch Holstein Friesians – the main dairy breed milked by producers in the Netherlands. Black-and-white Holsteins top the list with an average production of 9,770 kg of milk, with 4.28% fat and 3.51% protein in 355 days. They are followed by red-and white Holsteins with an average production of 8,972 kg of milk with 4.49 % fat and 3.60% protein in 349 days.