France has 19 million cattle heads on 147,000 farms, making it the largest bovine herd in the EU. It is the top EU beef producer, second largest dairy producer, third largest weanling exporter, and eighth largest beef and dairy producer globally. The majority of cattle are raised on family farms, with over 3 million dairy cows and 3.8 million beef cows. Key exports include beef bulls to Germany and Southern Europe as well as dairy calves to Spain.

1. Bovine production
in France
19 million cattle heads in 147 000 farms
1st EU beef meat producer - 2nd EU dairy producer
3rd world weanlings exporter
8th world beef meat producer
8th world dairy producer
germain.milet@idele.fr
Project Manager, Economics division – French Livestock Institute

2. Bovine production in France 2
2
19
12,7
9,7
6,2
6,16
5,6
4,1
2,6
Total UE27 =
88.4 million cattle heads
Data
in millions of heads
France: largest bovine herd
in the EU27 (22% of total)
A leader of the EU livestock sector

3. Bovine production in France 3
A leader of the EU livestock sector
Cows
of beef breeds
Cows of
dairy breeds
Thousands of cows
Source : FranceAgriMer d’après Eurostat

4. France : 7,7 millions of cows
Bovine production in France 4
• 3,98 millions beef cows
• Mountaneous regions
• Regions with high fodder
potential
• 3,75 million dairy cows
• Regions with high fodder
potential
• Mountain with quality labels

5. France : 7,5 millions of calves
Bovine production in France 5
• 3,7 millions dairy calves
• Males killed as calves (6 month)
• More and more export to Spain
• Females kept as cows
• 3,8 million beef calves
• Males exported as weanlings
(pastellos) or killed (16 month)
• Females mostly kept or killed as
heifer
Dairy
Males
Dairy
Females
Beef
Females
Beef
Males
Future of a calf born in France
Source : Institut de l’élevage d’après SPIE-BDNI et Normabev
Killed as Heifer
Killed as Oxen
Killed as young
bull
Live lean export
Killed as
Veal
Killed as Heifer
Killed as Oxen
Killed as young
bull
Live lean export
Killed as
Veal

6. France : 64 000 dairy farms, 24 millions
liters of milk
Bovine production in France 6
North-Ouest
- Main milk regions
- 53% of cows
- Specialized farms
- High level of
production based on
high fodder potential
- Milk collection on
the rise
North-east
- 24% of cows
- Largers farms with
large area of sold
cereals
- Milk collection
declining
Mountain areas
- 18% of cows
- Smallers farms
- Lower level of production
based on grass
- Often secured by official
quality signs
- Steady milk collection

7. A very developped internal market
Bovine production in France 7

8. Many actors in transformation sector
• g • h
Bovine production in France 8
5 Worlclass milk transformers
• Strong brands
• Mainly concentrated on consumer products
• Willing to export and/or to develop milk collection abroad
Many outsiders (CA > 200 M€)
Polyvalent Consumer products Industrial products

9. Veal : a crucial product for the dairy sector
Bovine production in France 9
• Veal : 1,2 millions heads per year
• 2/3 of french dairy calves
• Fed on milk replacers and cereal
• Killed at 6 months of age
• Average carcasse weight 140kg
• Closed buildings with heating
• France 2nd european producer
• 1st Netherland
• 3rd Italy
• Integrated production
• The only one in the french bovine
sector
• Dominated by Vandrie and
Denkavit, Dutch compagnies
Photo : Station du Rheu, Idele’s veal farm

10. France : 4,6 million bovines slaughtered each year
Bovine production in France 10
Cows 50%
Heifer 14%
Bull 31%
Oxen 5%
• Beef : 1,2 million tons produced
• Veal : 0,18 million tons produced

11. France : 4,6 million bovines slaughtered each year
Bovine production in France 11
Animals slaughtered per department
(Veal not included)
North : Dairy and Fattening region
- Cows slaughtered mostly dairy type
- Bulls of beef type
- Dairy bull finishing decreasing fast
- Fattening units in Dairy farms
Centre : Beef breeders region
- Cows slaughtered mostly beef type
- Important Heifer production
- Bulls of beef type
- Most males sold to North France or
exported
- Fattening units in Beef farms

12. Family fattening units
4 (3%)
16 (11%) 17 (12%) 17 (11%)
12 (8%)
81 (55%)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
0 à 40 40 à 80 80 à 120 120 à 160 160 à 200 Plus de 200
Productiondejeunesbovins(1000têtes)
Classe de taille selon le nombre de jeunes bovins produits pendant l'année considérée
Production de jeunes bovins par classe de taille - Engraisseurs spécialisés de JB
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
GEB-Institut de l'Elevage d'après SPIE et Normabev
Bovine production in France 12
Production of bull by size of fattening Unit in dairy farm
Production of bull by size of fattening Unit in fattening specialist

13. Bovine production in France 13
1
3
Dairy farms
Beef farms
Fattening farms
Source : Agreste RA 2010 – d’après traitement Idele
58 %
55 %
68 %
10 % 11 % 14 %
18 %
10 %
A French livestock sector
based on high productivity family farms
Individual
in part-time
Individual
without employees
Individual
with employees
Company of related
partners (son/father/mother)
Company of related
partners (brothers/sisters)
Company of no related
partners

14. France : Consumption of female, import of dairy
cows meat, export of beef bull meat
Bovine production in France 14
Export
Fondamentaux Marché Viande Bovine
Dairy Bull
Beef Bull
Dairy cows and heifer
Beef cows
Beef heifer
Import

15. Bovine production in France 15
1
5
Light
(280-350 kg live)
o heavy
(350-420 kg live)
weanlings
Fattened cows and heifers
(carcass of 400-500 kg)
Fattened calves
« under the mother »
(carcass of 120-160 kg)
Oxen
(carcass of 400-500 kg)
Fattened steers
(carcass of 360-420 kg)
A diversified range of products marketed

16. France : Bovine Meat Import
Bovine production in France 16
• Mostly dairy cows meat from neighboring countries

17. France : Bovine Meat Export
Bovine production in France 17
• Mostly Beef bull to Germany and South Europe

18. France : Live cattle export
Bovine production in France 18
0
20 000
40 000
60 000
80 000
100 000
120 000
140 000
160 000
180 000
200 000
220 000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 >25
Effectifsexportés
Classe d'âge (en mois, borne inférieure)
Effectifs exportés en vif en 2017, par sexe, âge et orientation raciale de la mère
femelle de mère allaitante
mâle de mère allaitante
femelle de mère laitière
mâle de mère laitière
GEB-Institut de l'Elevage d'après SPIE et Normabev
Age in months
Animals exported from France
Beef Type Female
Beef Type male
Dairy Type Female
Dairy type male
Dairy Calf
(Spain)
Beef
Weanlings
Beef Bulls Reproduction

19. Beef Weanlings : a major export product
Bovine production in France 19
• 1 millions head per year, more than 1 billion euros

20. For more information
Bovine production in France 20
germain.milet@idele.fr
Project Manager, Economics division – French Livestock Institute