Ireland's dairy herd continued to grow in 2026, with 1,668,211 dairy cows as of 30 June, an increase of 32,471 cows or 2% on the same day last year.
That's according to the latest Irish Cattle and Breeding Federation (ICBF) figures.
The data reveals that 24 counties recorded an increase in dairy cow numbers between 2025 and 2026, while just two counties recorded a decline.
The dairy herd is highly concentrated, with five counties accounting for more than half (55.3%) of the national herd.
Cork has the highest number of dairy cows with 394,196 (23.6% of Ireland’s total cow numbers), followed by Tipperary at 193,981 cows (11.6%) and Limerick with 124,792 (7.5%).
Kilkenny and Kerry follow behind, at 107,804 dairy cows and 102,327 respectively.
Top 10 counties
The wider top 10 also includes Waterford, Wexford, Meath, Laois and Galway.
When these counties are included, the top 10 account for three-quarters (76.8%) of the total dairy cow population.
At the lower end of the rankings, Leitrim recorded the smallest dairy cow population, with 2,297 cows, followed by Dublin with 2,976 cows. Sligo recorded 9,439, Roscommon recorded 12,606 and Longford recorded 13,979 cows.
The number of dairy cows in Mayo decreased, albeit by just 11, while cow numbers in Cavan decreased by 1,281 in 2026.
The average number of dairy cows per county in 2026 was 64,162. However, the median county figure was lower at 39,666. The gap between the two highlights that the average is influenced by a relatively small number of dairy-intensive counties and further highlights that dairy cow numbers are not evenly distributed across Ireland.
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