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UK dairy farmers deliver 240 million fewer litres of milk after heat
Researchers said the lost milk was valued at more than £83 million, with some farmers already switching to winter feed due to poor grazing conditions.
Extreme heat this summer reduced milk deliveries by 240 million fewer litres than expected, according to researchers at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), with dairy farmers also supplying four fewer days of milk between May and August.
The ECIU attributed the shortfall to poor grazing conditions, stunted harvests, and heat strain on livestock across England and Wales, leading some farmers to bring cattle indoors and begin using winter feed. Debbie Wilkins, a dairy and beef farmer in Gloucestershire, said the costs increase when cows must be moved indoors and milk production losses compound the issue.
The ECIU estimated dairy farmers lost milk valued at more than £83 million, enough milk to fill more than one billion school milk cartons.
Despite the summer delivery shortfall, the ECIU said UK milk production could still reach near record levels in 2026, pointing to farmers building up feed supplies. BBC Business reported the outlook as the UK experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, with five intense heatwaves and drought declarations.