UK Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) breed inventory results 2024 statistics release
Updated 15 May 2025
© Crown copyright 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-farm-animal-genetic-resources-fangr-breed-inventory-results/uk-farm-animal-genetic-resources-fangr-breed-inventory-results-2024-statistics-release
Annual updates have been made to the Farm Animal Genetic Resources inventory based on data provided by the breed societies. This includes inventory data for 2024, estimated breeding female population figures for 2025 and, in some cases, revisions for earlier years.
The full dataset is very detailed and presented as a number of time series tables in a spreadsheet on the FAnGR Annual Statistics page. It presents both the data characteristics collected in the inventory and additional estimates of the populations for breeding females and the effective population size (Ne) for each breed.
This Statistics Notice provides a summary of the data on the estimated population of breeding females for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and horses. Annual trends in native farm animal populations should be understood in the context of changes in the general UK livestock populations. Please see the livestock population statistics collection page for data on overall livestock populations in England and the UK.
Key Results
Key results table - Number of native breeds by change in female population between 2021 and 2025
| Number of breeds | Cattle | Goats | Sheep | Pigs | Horses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large increase (above 25%) | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Small increase (above or equal to 5%) | 7 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| No change (between 5% and -5%) | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| Small decrease (below or equal to -5%) | 9 | 2 | 22 | 7 | 11 |
| Large decrease (below -25%) | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 30 | 5 | 47 | 11 | 17 |
Notes:
- Pig data compares figures for 2020 and 2024 as census data is available for all but one of the native pig breeds.
- Only includes native breeds with data for both 2021 and 2025 (2020 and 2024 in the case of pig breeds).
- For breeds that do not supply census data the female breeding population estimate for cattle, sheep and goats is calculated using the 3-year average of the number of female registrations and as such, the 2025 estimate is calculated using inventory data for for 2022, 2023 and 2024. For some extensively managed sheep breeds that are managed in a way that makes pedigree recording difficult, this calculation uses the 3-year average of the number of pure bred females added to the population in the year. The female breeding population estimate for equines counts females which are still alive and have produced a foal in the preceding 10 years.
Between 2021 and 2025:
- The majority of native cattle and sheep are showing no change or a small decrease in population size.
- 3 of the 5 native goat breeds are showing a large increase in population size.
Between 2020 and 2024:
- All native pig breeds are showing a decrease in population size.
Section 1 - UK Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) Inventory
1.1 Background
The UK has one of the richest native Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) populations in the world and the importance of FAnGR has been recognised at both international and UK levels. Because of this, a commitment was made under national and global biodiversity strategies to establish an annual inventory to show how breed populations are changing over time.
1.2 Data characteristics
Certain data characteristics are collected directly from the annual inventory survey. Further key population estimates can then be derived from these.
| Characteristic | Type |
|---|---|
| Female registrations | Inventory |
| Male registrations | Inventory |
| Dams | Inventory |
| Sires | Inventory |
| Breeding herds | Inventory |
| Female breeding population | Population Estimate |
| Effective population size (Ne) | Population Estimate |
Details of how the population estimates are calculated are provided in Section 6.
The breeding female population figures for pigs (except for the British Lop and Kunekune) come from a census run by the British Pig Association, rather than estimates based on registrations. For this reason, the population census figures appear in the year in which the data was collected as they represent the actual live population at that point in time.
For hill sheep breeds that do not pedigree register or only partially pedigree register animals, inventory data can be based on census data on pure bred animals, as an equivalent to female registrations, male registrations, dams, sires and breeding herds.
All data including inventory data, estimates and breed status are published separately from this Statistics Notice on the same collection page :- UK farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR): breed inventory results. A machine-readable dataset is also available in the same location.
1.3 Breed status
Breeds can have NBAR (Native breed at risk) or BAR (Breed at risk) status. This status is determined by the number of registered breeding females and breeds are included on the NBAR and BAR lists when their populations drop below specified thresholds. These thresholds are included in Section 6.
Section 2 – Key trends in breeding female population estimates
2.1 Introduction
This section focuses on the derived measure of the estimated breeding female population for native breeds.
Table 2.1 shows the total number of breeds for each species broken down by breed status included in the inventory. The total number of native breeds in the inventory are higher than those found in the Section 2 due to missing data for a number of breeds.
Table 2.1 - Total number of breeds by breed status for each species
| Number of breeds | Cattle | Sheep | Pigs | Goats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 45 | 77 | 16 | 15 |
| Native | 30 | 50 | 11 | 6 |
| NBAR | 21 | 41 | 11 | 6 |
| BAR | 13 | 31 | 11 | 6 |
2.1a Data presentation
The data presented in section 2.2 – 2.6 show the estimated female population sizes for the following target years: 2021 and 2025 for cattle, sheep and goats, and 2020 and 2024 for pigs. In sections 2.3 – 2.6, the data are presented in a barchart and table displaying the percentage change in population between the target years for native breeds showing an increase or decrease of more than 5% (for more information on the methodology, please see Section 6). To facilitate the early identification of breeds with declining populations, a threshold decrease of 5% in the female breeding population within a 5-year timeframe was selected by the IMSG UKGLE Ccommittee to highlight breeds of concern.
Where there are incomplete data in the target years, the breeds have been excluded from the analysis. If data are supplied subsequent to this publication, published results will be updated as early as possible.
2.2 Cattle Results
Chart and Table 2.2 Native cattle breeds with estimated breeding female populations increasing or decreasing by more than 5% between 2021 and 2025
| Published Breed Name | % Change |
|---|---|
| Vaynol | 138% |
| Chillingham | 83% |
| Sussex | 26% |
| Irish Moiled | 18% |
| Northern Dairy Shorthorn | 17% |
| Beef Shorthorn | 15% |
| Whitebred Shorthorn | 14% |
| Luing | 8% |
| British White | 5% |
| White Galloway | 5% |
| Belted Galloway | -6% |
| Red Poll | -7% |
| Dairy Shorthorn | -9% |
| Welsh Black | -14% |
| Hereford | -16% |
| White Park | -16% |
| Guernsey | -18% |
| Dexter | -21% |
| South Devon | -21% |
| Aberdeen-Angus | -26% |
| Ayrshire | -27% |
| Gloucester | -30% |
All the data which forms Chart 2.2 can be found in Table 5.1 in Section 5.
2.3 Sheep Results
Chart and Table 2.3 Native sheep breeds with estimated breeding female populations increasing or decreasing by more than 5% between 2021 and 2025
| Published Breed Name | % Change |
|---|---|
| Derbyshire Gritstone | 64% |
| Devon Closewool | 43% |
| Balwen | 42% |
| Devon and Cornwall Longwool | 36% |
| Badger Face Welsh (Torwen) | 18% |
| Lincoln Longwool | 12% |
| Ryeland (including Coloured Ryeland) | 12% |
| Oxford Down | 10% |
| Dalesbred | 9% |
| Hampshire Down | 9% |
| Suffolk Sheep | 9% |
| Hebridean | 8% |
| Kerry Hill | 6% |
| Norfolk Horn | -6% |
| Wensleydale | -7% |
| Lonk | -8% |
| Soay | -8% |
| Jacob | -10% |
| Manx Loaghtan | -10% |
| Portland | -11% |
| Swaledale | -11% |
| Wiltshire Horn | -12% |
| Leicester Longwool | -14% |
| North Ronaldsay | -14% |
| Shropshire | -16% |
| Teeswater | -16% |
| Cotswold | -18% |
| Boreray | -19% |
| Castlemilk Moorit | -22% |
| Greyface Dartmoor | -22% |
| Southdown | -22% |
| Exmoor Horn | -23% |
| Clun Forest | -24% |
| Lleyn | -25% |
| Shetland Mainland | -25% |
| Whitefaced Woodland | -28% |
| Hill Radnor | -29% |
| White Face Dartmoor | -31% |
| Llanwenog | -39% |
| Welsh Mountain | -39% |
Notes
-
- Swaledale - caveats apply, please see notes in Section 3.
All the data which forms Chart 2.3 can be found in Table 5.2 in Section 5.
2.4 Pigs Results
Chart and Table 2.4 Native pig breeds with estimated breeding female populations increasing or decreasing by more than 5% between 2020 and 2024
| Published Breed Name | % Change |
|---|---|
| Tamworth | -6% |
| Large Black | -10% |
| Large White | -12% |
| Landrace | -18% |
| Middle White | -22% |
| Welsh | -22% |
| British Saddleback | -23% |
| Berkshire | -29% |
| Oxford Sandy and Black | -32% |
| British Lop | -33% |
| Gloucestershire Old Spots | -33% |
All the data which forms Chart 2.4 can be found in Table 5.3 in Section 5.
2.5 Goats Results
Chart 2.5 Native goat breeds with estimated breeding female populations increasing or decreasing by more than 5% between 2021 and 2025
| Published Breed Name | % Change |
|---|---|
| Old English Goats | 70% |
| Toggenburg | 37% |
| Golden Guernsey | 8% |
| Saanen | -12% |
| Bagot | -15% |
All the data which forms Chart 2.5 can be found in Table 5.4 in Section 5.
2.6 Equine Results
Chart 2.5 Native equine breeds with female breeding populations increasing or decreasing by more than 5% between 2020 and 2024
| Published Breed Name | % Change |
|---|---|
| Dales Pony | 5% |
| Clydesdale Horse | -5% |
| Highland | -8% |
| Shire Horse | -8% |
| Eriskay Pony | -10% |
| Exmoor Pony | -11% |
| Welsh Cob (Section D) | -13% |
| Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Section C) | -15% |
| Cleveland Bay Horse | -16% |
| Shetland Pony | -19% |
| Hackney | -23% |
| Welsh Pony (Section B) | -23% |
| Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) | -24% |
Section 3 – Notes relating to specific species and breeds
These breed notes provide specific context for data in the inventory tables and Section 2 of this statistics notice.
| Breed | Notes |
|---|---|
| Sheep | |
| Composite Breeds | Sheep populations are dynamic, with new composite breeds of sheep being developed from existing genetic resources all the time to create maternal and terminal sire composite breeding lines. |
| Hill breed population data | Extensively managed sheep breeds are recognised as important genetic resources. Extensive management systems make pedigree recording difficult. From 2025, Defra have included new supplementary questions inviting hill breeds with none or partial recorded pedigree data due to the way the breed is managed to provide equivalent data on pure bred animals in the population. This is part of an ongoing process, with some breed societies committed to making this data available in the future. The following notes clarify whether pure bred or pedigree registration data is reported in figures. |
| Beulah Speckled Face | Incomplete data since 2023. |
| Black Welsh Mountain | Male registration data and number of active flocks data available. Females not individually registered. |
| Herdwick | Male registration data and number of active flocks data available. Females not individually registered. |
| North Country Cheviot | Male registration data available. Females not individually registered. |
| Rough Fell | Male registration data and number of active flocks data available. Female population data is census data. |
| Scottish Blackface | No data available. Work ongoing to provide pure bred population data for future publications. |
| South Country Cheviot | Male registration data and number of active flocks data available. Females not individually registered. |
| Swaledale | Male registration data available. Female population data is census data. |
| Pigs | |
| All breeds except Kune Kune and British Lop | The breeding female populations of all the pig breeds in the inventory except for the British Lop and Kune Kune are actual census figures for live animals rather than estimates based on registrations. For this reason the population census figures appear in year in which the data was collected as they represent the actual live population at that point in time. |
| Commercial Breeds | The UK’s commercial breeding base of some 327K sows has declined by 20% over the last 5 years. The commercial breeding base is supported by breeding companies operating closed breeding programmes licenced by Defra. These companies represent 85% of the genetic resources for pig production in the UK. They are also linked into international breeding programmes and are a source of genetics for breeding programmes around the world. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, details of their populations are not published however information on their breeding lines and programmes can be found on the UKGLE website: Recognised breeding operations for hybrid pigs |
| Goats | |
| Cheviot (Feral) | The data included for Cheviot goats only includes animals that are part of the semi-feral population located in the Cheviot Hills around the College Valley, Newton Tors and Yeavering Bell. |
| Yorkshire Dairy Goats | The number of female registrations relates to the number of females that have been born and added to the herd register. |
| Horses | |
| All breeds | In 2025, a new method for estimating the female breeding population for all equine breeds was introduced. The method calculates an estimated breeding female population by counting the number of females who have bred in a 10 year period and are alive at the end of that period. An animal is counted in the first year in which they produced a foal and for 10 years after they produced their last foal or until they are recorded as being dead. Animals who never produce a foal are never counted as they have not contributed any genetic material to the population. |
| Caspian | Data is incomplete. Work is being done to improve coverage in future to give a truer picture of the breed statistics. |
| Irish Draught | Only UK born, pure-bred pedigree registration types have been included (i.e. at least 3 or 4 generations of pure-bred pedigree). No grading up or cross-bred animals are included in these figures. |
Section 4 - Removed Breeds
Breeds for which there is a lack of data provision for the last 3 years or more are removed from the main inventory results and instead presented here. If they are able to provide data again, the breed can be reinstated in the main inventory and we would like to encourage breed societies to contact the UKGLE secretariat (ukglesecretariat@defra.gov.uk) if there is anything we can do to help them provide this information.
Table 4.1 Removed Breeds
| Species | Breeds |
|---|---|
| Cattle | Aubrac |
| Fleckvieh | |
| Maine Anjou | |
| Normande | |
| Swedish Red and White | |
| Water Buffalo | |
| Sheep | Brecknock Hill Cheviot |
| Cambridge | |
| Easy Care | |
| Ile De France | |
| Llandovery Whiteface Hill | |
| Meatlinc | |
| Roussin | |
| Shetland Island | |
| South Wales Mountain (Nelson type) | |
| Vendeen / British Vendeen | |
| Welsh Hill Speckled Face | |
| Goats | Arapawa / British Arapawa |
| Cashmere | |
| Pygmy | |
| Horses | American Miniature Horse |
| American Quarter Horse | |
| Camargue / British Camargue | |
| Fjord Horse | |
| Friesian Horse | |
| Lipizzaner | |
| Scottish Sports Horse | |
| Sport Pony | |
| Camelid | Camels |
| Guanacos |
Section 5 - Data Appendix
Table 5.1 Native cattle breeds and % change in estimated breeding female population (in descending order of change)
| Published Breed Name | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 5 Year % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaynol | 16 | 22 | 26 | 35 | 38 | +138% |
| Chillingham | 23 | 27 | 29 | 38 | 42 | +83% |
| Sussex | 3,053 | 3,155 | 3,518 | 3,690 | 3,851 | +26% |
| Irish Moiled | 587 | 555 | 594 | 644 | 691 | +18% |
| Northern Dairy Shorthorn | 115 | 117 | 135 | 141 | 135 | +17% |
| Beef Shorthorn | 11,760 | 12,072 | 12,657 | 13,212 | 13,575 | +15% |
| Whitebred Shorthorn | 381 | 447 | 481 | 434 | 433 | +14% |
| Luing | 8,044 | 8,456 | 9,293 | 8,616 | 8,721 | +8% |
| British White | 1,117 | 1,124 | 1,088 | 1,129 | 1,173 | +5% |
| White Galloway | 239 | 214 | 249 | 185 | 252 | +5% |
| Lincoln Red | 2,439 | 2,667 | 2,847 | 2,777 | 2,516 | +3% |
| Galloway | 3,085 | 3,137 | 3,250 | 3,195 | 3,148 | +2% |
| Longhorn | 4,111 | 4,111 | 4,144 | 4,185 | 4,176 | +2% |
| Devon | 7,669 | 8,085 | 8,555 | 8,550 | 7,765 | +1% |
| Shetland | 676 | 651 | 712 | 668 | 684 | +1% |
| British Friesian | 11,990 | 12,807 | 13,399 | 13,063 | 11,864 | -1% |
| Highland | 3,119 | 2,858 | 3,059 | 3,207 | 3,040 | -3% |
| Jersey | 24,864 | 25,251 | 24,827 | 23,690 | 23,886 | -4% |
| Belted Galloway | 4,145 | 3,985 | 3,959 | 3,555 | 3,907 | -6% |
| Red Poll | 2,702 | 2,666 | 2,581 | 2,577 | 2,525 | -7% |
| Dairy Shorthorn | 5,104 | 5,372 | 5,477 | 5,179 | 4,659 | -9% |
| Welsh Black | 4,629 | 4,226 | 3,870 | 3,866 | 3,959 | -14% |
| Hereford | 19,327 | 19,089 | 18,201 | 17,005 | 16,181 | -16% |
| White Park | 744 | 724 | 740 | 670 | 622 | -16% |
| Guernsey | 2,682 | 2,452 | 2,570 | 2,330 | 2,206 | -18% |
| Dexter | 5,814 | 5,509 | 5,113 | 4,947 | 4,621 | -21% |
| South Devon | 10,797 | 10,067 | 9,969 | 9,388 | 8,576 | -21% |
| Aberdeen-Angus | 37,347 | 35,545 | 32,669 | 28,647 | 27,646 | -26% |
| Ayrshire | 18,749 | 18,062 | 17,053 | 15,648 | 13,774 | -27% |
| Gloucester | 460 | 418 | 375 | 313 | 320 | -30% |
Table 5.2 Native sheep breeds and % change in estimated breeding female populations (in descending order of change)
| Published Breed Name | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 5 Year % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire Gritstone | 767 | 845 | 933 | 1,126 | 1,260 | +64% |
| Devon Closewool | 1,281 | 1,700 | 1,869 | 1,949 | 1,837 | +43% |
| Balwen | 718 | 881 | 904 | 1,000 | 1,017 | +42% |
| Devon and Cornwall Longwool | 553 | 549 | 546 | 716 | 754 | +36% |
| Badger Face Welsh (Torwen) | 1,229 | 1,325 | 1,425 | 1,431 | 1,452 | +18% |
| Lincoln Longwool | 561 | 631 | 647 | 675 | 628 | +12% |
| Ryeland (including Coloured Ryeland) | 6,498 | 7,208 | 7,574 | 7,390 | 7,289 | +12% |
| Oxford Down | 1,063 | 1,111 | 1,141 | 1,223 | 1,173 | +10% |
| Dalesbred | 8,352 | 8,369 | 8,359 | 9,154 | 9,131 | +9% |
| Hampshire Down | 3,948 | 4,075 | 4,379 | 4,430 | 4,295 | +9% |
| Suffolk Sheep | 14,201 | 15,793 | 16,282 | 16,347 | 15,431 | +9% |
| Hebridean | 4,046 | 4,938 | 5,225 | 4,769 | 4,372 | +8% |
| Kerry Hill | 5,463 | 5,891 | 5,815 | 5,847 | 5,786 | +6% |
| Poll Dorset | 20,272 | 20,827 | 24,155 | 23,125 | 20,998 | +4% |
| Border Leicester | 1,554 | 1,602 | 1,531 | 1,598 | 1,601 | +3% |
| Bluefaced Leicester | 20,822 | 20,754 | 22,947 | 22,126 | 21,239 | +2% |
| Dorset Down | 1,788 | 1,812 | 1,710 | 1,720 | 1,821 | +2% |
| Epynt Hardy Speckled | 3,803 | 3,788 | 3,842 | 3,810 | 3,829 | +1% |
| Dorset Horn | 1,628 | 1,609 | 1,840 | 1,703 | 1,626 | 0% |
| Badger Face Welsh (Torddu) | 3,887 | 4,059 | 4,158 | 3,985 | 3,854 | -1% |
| Norfolk Horn | 1,155 | 1,162 | 1,173 | 1,031 | 1,090 | -6% |
| Wensleydale | 1,038 | 1,056 | 1,113 | 1,058 | 966 | -7% |
| Lonk | 1,551 | 1,477 | 1,482 | 1,458 | 1,428 | -8% |
| Soay | 905 | 1,018 | 997 | 965 | 833 | -8% |
| Jacob | 6,398 | 6,473 | 6,411 | 5,996 | 5,789 | -10% |
| Manx Loaghtan | 736 | 785 | 807 | 763 | 664 | -10% |
| Portland | 1,178 | 1,186 | 1,151 | 1,122 | 1,048 | -11% |
| Swaledale | 158,621 | 152,989 | 150,849 | 146,229 | 141,609 | -11% |
| Wiltshire Horn | 3,410 | 3,151 | 3,000 | 2,943 | 3,012 | -12% |
| Leicester Longwool | 660 | 703 | 699 | 627 | 565 | -14% |
| North Ronaldsay | 476 | 496 | 491 | 475 | 409 | -14% |
| Shropshire | 3,172 | 3,263 | 3,432 | 2,971 | 2,670 | -16% |
| Teeswater | 941 | 963 | 915 | 899 | 787 | -16% |
| Cotswold | 826 | 801 | 752 | 692 | 680 | -18% |
| Boreray | 504 | 523 | 522 | 446 | 406 | -19% |
| Castlemilk Moorit | 1,032 | 1,092 | 1,041 | 868 | 807 | -22% |
| Greyface Dartmoor | 3,079 | 2,440 | 2,511 | 2,494 | 2,413 | -22% |
| Southdown | 4,081 | 3,979 | 4,001 | 3,595 | 3,181 | -22% |
| Exmoor Horn | 6,392 | 6,096 | 5,804 | 5,447 | 4,929 | -23% |
| Clun Forest | 2,179 | 2,154 | 2,141 | 1,909 | 1,657 | -24% |
| Lleyn | 70,080 | 67,771 | 65,116 | 57,740 | 52,773 | -25% |
| Shetland Mainland | 4,354 | 3,680 | 3,120 | 2,818 | 3,282 | -25% |
| Whitefaced Woodland | 415 | 412 | 391 | 361 | 299 | -28% |
| Hill Radnor | 1,174 | 913 | 680 | 744 | 836 | -29% |
| White Face Dartmoor | 2,890 | 3,037 | 3,104 | 2,260 | 1,987 | -31% |
| Llanwenog | 2,420 | 2,470 | 2,052 | 1,483 | 1,481 | -39% |
| Welsh Mountain | 922 | 843 | 818 | 659 | 565 | -39% |
Notes:
- Some native breeds have been excluded from this analysis due to missing data in the target years. However partial data for these breeds are still available in the inventory dataset. For some extensively managed sheep breeds, estimates of breeding female population are based on the 3-year average of the number of pure bred females added to the population in the year. For context on population data for extensively managed hill sheep breeds, please see Section 3.
Table 5.3 Native pig breeds and % change in estimated breeding female populations (in descending order of change)
| Published Breed Name | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 5 Year % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamworth | 240 | 239 | 270 | 239 | 225 | -6% |
| Large Black | 319 | 354 | 307 | 292 | 288 | -10% |
| Large White | 291 | 289 | 255 | 257 | 256 | -12% |
| Landrace | 142 | 121 | 109 | 111 | 116 | -18% |
| Middle White | 341 | 349 | 351 | 307 | 267 | -22% |
| Welsh | 457 | 435 | 323 | 296 | 358 | -22% |
| British Saddleback | 409 | 414 | 368 | 347 | 315 | -23% |
| Berkshire | 331 | 363 | 310 | 288 | 236 | -29% |
| Oxford Sandy and Black | 498 | 473 | 395 | 356 | 337 | -32% |
| British Lop | 313 | 340 | 338 | 294 | 209 | -33% |
| Gloucestershire Old Spots | 636 | 612 | 577 | 472 | 424 | -33% |
Notes:
- Pig data compares figures for 2020 and 2024 as census data are available (for all but one of the native pig breeds).
Table 5.4 Native goat breeds and % change in estimated breeding female populations (in descending order of change)
| Published Breed Name | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 5 Year % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old English Goats | 10 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 17 | +70% |
| Toggenburg | 225 | 267 | 342 | 341 | 308 | +37% |
| Golden Guernsey | 1,696 | 1,882 | 1,921 | 1,902 | 1,839 | +8% |
| Saanen | 244 | 234 | 248 | 232 | 215 | -12% |
| Bagot | 542 | 566 | 564 | 556 | 463 | -15% |
Notes:
1, Some native breeds have been excluded from this analysis due to missing data in the target years. However partial data for this breed are still available in the inventory dataset.
Table 5.5 Native Equine breeds and % change in female breeding populations (in descending order of change)
| Published Breed Name | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 5 Year % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dales Pony | 342 | 340 | 339 | 352 | 358 | +5% |
| Suffolk Horse | 118 | 113 | 123 | 125 | 123 | +4% |
| New Forest Pony | 2536 | 2376 | 2431 | 2546 | 2598 | +2% |
| Dartmoor Pony | 560 | 563 | 562 | 550 | 538 | -4% |
| Fell Pony | 1068 | 1039 | 1013 | 1005 | 1020 | -4% |
| Clydesdale Horse | 755 | 738 | 738 | 731 | 720 | -5% |
| Highland | 953 | 908 | 891 | 882 | 873 | -8% |
| Shire Horse | 1089 | 1060 | 1039 | 1023 | 1007 | -8% |
| Eriskay Pony | 39 | 37 | 33 | 34 | 35 | -10% |
| Exmoor Pony | 635 | 574 | 567 | 577 | 564 | -11% |
| Welsh Cob (Section D) | 6284 | 5769 | 5342 | 5013 | 5485 | -13% |
| Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Section C) | 2592 | 2473 | 2385 | 2290 | 2198 | -15% |
| Cleveland Bay Horse | 134 | 120 | 112 | 114 | 112 | -16% |
| Shetland Pony | 7487 | 6906 | 6539 | 6250 | 6046 | -19% |
| Hackney | 261 | 243 | 233 | 216 | 200 | -23% |
| Welsh Pony (Section B) | 2398 | 2181 | 2047 | 1933 | 1842 | -23% |
| Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) | 7210 | 6595 | 6126 | 5790 | 5485 | -24% |
Section 6 – About these statistics
6.1 Background
The UK has one of the richest native Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR) populations in the world and the importance of FAnGR has been recognised at both international and UK levels. Because of this, a commitment was made under national and global biodiversity strategies to establish an annual inventory to show how breed populations are changing over time.
FAnGR was set up by Defra in 2013 to deliver that commitment and the inventory is steadily increasing in scope and coverage each year as it becomes established. Once the trends become apparent from the inventory, it enables decisions to be made to safeguard UK livestock biodiversity and to help future-proof UK farming.
The results build on the findings from the 2012 “UK Country Report on Farm Animal Genetic Resources (FAnGR)” and are a collaborative effort between the national UK Genetics for Livestock and Equines Committee (UKGLE), Defra and the Devolved Administrations, who work together to support the conservation and sustainable use of UK FAnGR. The inventory complements the committee’s other monitoring efforts and the work of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust on conservation and protection of UK rare and native breeds of farm animals.
6.2 Data Sources
All the annual data is reported through either Grassroots Systems Ltd., the British Pig Association or the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Coverage has been steadily increasing since the annual inventory was first developed in 2013. The response rate for the 2024 inventory was 93% (210 breeds). Breed societies have given their permission for these companies to supply the data every year for this exercise. Any breed-specific exceptions to this coverage are detailed in the ‘Definitions & Breed notes’ section.
The pig data on numbers of pedigree breeding sows (with the exception of the British Lop and KuneKune) are sourced from the Bloodline Census, an annual exercise carried out by the British Pig Association (results are available on the British Pigs website). This Census also collects data on the number of members keeping registered pigs.
Data for all other breeds are collected annually via a survey. Questionnaires are emailed and non-respondents are contacted several times to encourage response. Priority is given to gathering comprehensive data from native breeds. It is made clear to participating breed societies in advance that all data supplied will be published (as it is all collected at the aggregate level). Therefore, there are no confidentiality issues around the data. Some breed societies already publish this information in their flock/herd books.
6.3 Data characteristics
6.3.1 Inventory data
The following data characteristics are collected from the inventory survey for all species.
| Characteristic | Definition |
|---|---|
| Female registrations | Only includes fully pure-bred, pedigree registered, UK born animals which were registered (not born) in the year. |
| Male registrations | Only includes fully pure-bred, pedigree registered, UK born animals which were registered (not born) in the year. |
| Dams | Pedigree dams of fully registered animals in the year. Excludes dams which had offspring which were not registered. |
| Sires | Pedigree sires of fully registered animals in the year. Excludes sires which had offspring which were not registered. |
| Breeding Herds | Number of active pedigree herds/flocks which registered pedigree offspring in the specific year. |
For hill sheep breeds that do not pedigree register or only partially pedigree register animals, inventory data can be based on census data on pure bred animals, as an equivalent to female registrations, male registrations, dams, sires and breeding herds. For context on population data for extensively managed hill sheep breeds, please see Section 3.
6.3.2 Population estimates
The following data characteristics are population estimates which are calculated using the inventory data.
Breeding female population
A key data characteristic is the size of the pedigree breeding female population. The actual number of these animals is not always directly available from breed societies as the databases are not always up to date. For Cattle, Sheep, Goats and two Pig breeds (British Lop and Kunekune) estimates are made of this key measure by multiplying the average number of pedigree female registrations over the previous three complete years by multipliers defined for each species (see table below). The multiplier is calculated using historic data on the ratio of the number of adult females in a breed to the number of female registrations in a year.
The female population figures for pig breeds other than the British Lop and Kunekune are actual census figures for live animals rather than estimates based on registrations. For this reason, the population census figures appear in the year in which the data was collected as they represent the actual live population at that point in time.
For some extensively managed sheep breeds, this calculation uses the 3-year average of the number of pure bred females added to the population. For context on population data for extensively managed hill sheep breeds, please see Section 3.
For equines, it has not been possible to create a single equine multiplier to apply to all breeds. An alternative method for estimating the breeding female population of equine breeds is used here, for the first time.
The method calculates an estimated breeding female population by counting the number of females who have bred in a 10 year and are alive at the end of the period. An animal is counted in the first year in which they produced a foal and for 10 years after they produced their last foal or until they are recorded as being dead. Animals who never produce a foal are never counted as they have not contributed any genetic material to the population.
| Species | Breeds | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle | All | 3.52 |
| Sheep | All | 2.41 |
| Goats | All | 5.16 |
| Pigs | KuneKune & British Lop | 2.70 |
Effective population size (Ne)
The effective population size indicates the genetic diversity within the breed, by accounting for the total number of animals in a population and the relative numbers of male and female parents (sires and dams). A low effective population size signifies a greater likelihood of inbreeding and a higher risk of loss of genetic diversity. An effective population size of 50 is set as a threshold for concern by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. For further details see the JNCC bio-diversity indicator Technical background document.
The effective population size for each breed in the inventory is calculated using Sewell Wright’s formula:
Effective population size = 4 x (No. sires x No. dams)/ (No. sires + No. dams)
6.4 Breed Status
Native Breeds
For a breed to be considered native, the breed should satisfy all of the following criteria.
- The breed satisfies the criteria for inclusion in the UK National Breed Inventory.
- Breed history documents the breed origin within the UK (including from an amalgamation of native breeds) and the UK has formed the primary environment for the development of the breed.
- Breed history documents its presence in the UK in its current adapted form for a qualifying period of at least 40 years or 6 generations whichever is the longer period of time.
- Not more than 20% of the genetic contributions come from animals born outside the UK (other than those imported for an approved conservation project) in any one generation for the last 40 years plus 6 generations.
NBAR and BAR Breeds
Breeds can also have NBAR (Native breed at risk) or BAR (Breed at risk) status. This status is determined by the number of registered breeding females and breeds are included on the NBAR and BAR lists when their populations drop below specified thresholds. The thresholds for each species are as follows:
| Species | NBAR Thresholds | BAR Thresholds |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle | < 7500 | < 3000 |
| Equines | < 5000 | < 3000 |
| Goats | < 10000 | < 3000 |
| Pigs | < 15000 | < 1500 |
| Sheep | < 10000 | < 3000 |
Further information can be found on the FAnGR collection page FAnGR resources for farmers and livestock breeders - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
6.5 Quality Assurance
For quality assurance reasons, results are shared in advance of publication to members of the UKGLE committee.
6.6 Revisions
If any revisions are required to past data we will update the published results as early as possible and provide information about these revisions in the dataset.
6.7 Data Uses
- Enhance knowledge of population size and prevent the loss of breeds
- Support strategic planning for the sustainable utilisation of animal genetic resources
- Improve priority setting for conservation programmes
- Enhance knowledge of cross-border genetic linkages
- Raise public awareness
- Reporting obligations:
- 6a - 2011 England Biodiversity Strategy.
- 6b - UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) “Global Plan of Action”.
- 6c - UN Convention on Biological Diversity “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020” and the Aichi biodiversity goals and targets. The UK biodiversity indicators are used to report on progress towards meeting these goals: Animal genetic resources - effective population size of Native Breeds at Risk.
- 6d - Input to the European Farm Animal Biodiversity Information System (EFABIS) and FAO Global Information System (DAD-IS) to monitor Farm Animal Biodiversity across Europe and globally. The FAO data links all countries into the FAO Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources.
Further resources:
- Livestock Population Statistics
- British Pig Association
- 2012 UK Country report
- UKGLE policy information
- Research report into predicting the number of breeding females based on registration data
- UK biodiversity indicator – animal genetic resources: effective population size of native breeds at risk
What you need to know about this release
Contact details
Responsible statistician: Sam Beale, Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AH.
Tel: +44 (0)7386 658427 Email: sam.beale@defra.gov.uk
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Acknowledgements
The UKGLE committee would like to thank all those breed societies already taking part and to Grassroots Systems Ltd., the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the British Pig Association for their high level of support and input into this project.