The number of sheep and dairy cattle in Wales continues to rise while the beef herd has declined, according to new figures.

The 2014 June Survey for Wales, carried out by the Welsh government, shows that the total number of sheep and lambs stood at 9.74m, a 3% increase compared with 2013 levels. This is the highest recorded number since 2003 and is the fifth consecutive annual rise. The rise is mainly due to a 10% increase in the number of breeding ewes to 4.4 million.

The total number of cattle and calves in Wales increased by 1% compared with 2013, to 1.1m. The increase is a result of a 6% increase in dairy cattle to nearly 290,000 head, representing the largest dairy herd in Wales since in eight years.

Beef decline

However the increase in the dairy herd was offset by a decline in the beef herd, with the number of beef cattle over two years of age falling by 3% to 214,000 head and the number of female beef cattle between the age of one and two years falling by 6.4% to 83,000 head.

The number of pigs in Wales has risen by 14% compared to last year to 28,000, which is a result of a 17% rise in the number of fattening pigs in Wales to 24,000. This represents the highest number of fattening pigs in Wales in a decade.