History of the Danish dairy industry

Denmark is practically the ideal country for dairy production. Our climate and soil provide the optimal conditions for dairy cattle farming.

In spite of our northern location we enjoy relatively high temperatures during spring and summer as well as a mild climate. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, and the soil is very fertile. As a result, dairy cattle have been raised in Denmark for millennia, and milk, butter and cheese have been a natural part of the Danish diet for just as long.

Archaeological excavations and finds from the Stone Age show that as early as 4,000 years B.C., Danes first began to burn down forests in order to cultivate the land and keep livestock. The first cattle were probably wild oxen caught and kept in an enclosure. The Vikings kept cows, and mediaeval frescoes depict women churning butter. From early on, dairy products formed a part of the farmers’ tithes (a kind of tax) to their king, church and lord of the manor. During the 16th and 17th centuries the Danes became increasingly skilled in dairy production. For example, King Christian IV’s letters indicate that the court farms were well informed about dairy layouts and equipment.

Developments gained further momentum in the 18th century, particularly in the manors. Here production was increased to meet the growing demand from the towns where the population as well as the standard of living were rising. Following the introduction of agrarian reforms at the end of the century, ordinary farmers joined in on dairy production. Especially butter was produced for resale, and in the mid-19th century, growing quantities found their way to foreign markets.

In 1882, a group of Jutland farmers decided to join forces to set up a dairy on a co-operative basis. This would allow them to rationalise dairy operations, afford modern production equipment and hire skilled dairy professionals. This in turn enabled them to supply high-quality products and to command higher prices.

The farmers committed to supplying their entire milk production to the dairy in return for a share of the profits, proportional to their milk supply. Consequently, a rich farmer with many cows would earn more money than a farmer with a smaller herd, but at the general assembly they would all be equal: one man - one vote. The co-operative movement was democracy in action.

The co-operative idea soon spread across the country, and by 1900, there were more than 1,000 co-operative dairies in Denmark. Without any sort of central management or control they managed, in a matter of just a few years, to reshape a large part of the agricultural production, and the dairy industry found an organisational framework, which has largely applied ever since.

Denmark still has some privately-owned dairies, but 97% of the milk is now supplied to cooperative dairy companies. Danish cows produce far more milk than we can consume in the domestic market, so more than 2/3 of the total Danish milk supply is used for export products. This share places us among the world’s top five dairy exporting nations.

Hjedding Dairy still exists today as a museum. If you want to know more about the history, please click here.  (The webpage opens a new window)

If you are interested in visiting the museum please click here (Visit Denmark - the webpages opens in a new window).