How many cattle are in the world? The global live cattle population amounted to about 1.57 billion heads in 2023, up from approximately 1.51 million in 2021. Cows as livestock The domestication of cattle began as early as 10,000 to 5,000 years ago. From ancient times up to the present, cattle are bred to provide meat and dairy. Cattle are also employed as draft animals to plow the fields or transport heavy objects. Cattle hide is used for the production of leather, and dung for fuel and agricultural fertilizer. In 2022, India was home to the highest number of milk cows in the world. Cattle farming in the United States Cattle meat such as beef and veal is one of the most widely consumed types of meat across the globe, and is particularly popular in the United States. The United States is the top producer of beef and veal of any country worldwide. In 2021, beef production in the United States reached 12.6 million metric tons. Beef production appears to be following a positive trend in the United States. More than 33.07 million cattle were slaughtered both commercially and in farms annually in the United States in 2019, up from 33 million in the previous year.

How many cows are in the world? India is home to the highest number of milk cows of any country, at over ** million heads as of 2024. That year, the European Union had the second most milk cows worldwide, at about ** million heads. Raising milk cows In the United States, the cost of feeding, housing, and caring for a single cow is around ***** U.S. dollars per 24 months. Though this price might seem high, when one considers that the average milk cow in the United States produces around **** thousand pounds of milk per year, the investment might be worth it. Dairy production worldwide Although India is by far the largest producer of milk cows, the 27 member states of the European Union collectively produce nearly twice the amount of cow milk of India. The United States came in second place with just under *** million metric tons of milk, followed by India with about *** million metric tons. The European Union is also the leading producer of cheese worldwide.

In the U.S., there have been approximately three times more beef cows than dairy cows each year since 2001. As of 2024, it was estimated that there were about 28 million beef cows and only about 9.3 million dairy cows. Beef vs. dairy cows Both beef and dairy cows are bred for their respective purposes and farmers often look for different qualities in each. Dairy cows are often bigger, as they can produce a larger volume of milk. Beef cows on the other hand are generally shorter and there is more emphasis on their muscle growth, among other qualities. In 2022, over 28 billion pounds of beef were produced in the United States. U.S. milk production and consumption The United States was among the top consumers of milk worldwide in 2022, surpassed only by India and the European Union. The annual consumption of milk in the U.S. that year was just under 21 million metric tons. To keep up with this level of consumption, milk production in the U.S. has increased by over 60 billion pounds since 1999 and is expected to exceed 228 billion pounds by 2023. California and Wisconsin were the top producing states as of 2022, producing about 41.8 and 31.9 billion pounds of milk, respectively.

China Livestock: Number: Cow: Beef Cattle data was reported at 84,541.000 Unit th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 80,044.000 Unit th for 2021. China Livestock: Number: Cow: Beef Cattle data is updated yearly, averaging 68,386.000 Unit th from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2022, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84,541.000 Unit th in 2022 and a record low of 52,533.000 Unit th in 2008. China Livestock: Number: Cow: Beef Cattle data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table CN.RID: Number of Livestock: Large Animals: Cow .

How many cows are in the U.S.? The United States is home to approximately **** million cattle and calves as of 2024, dropping slightly from the 2023 value. Cattle farming in the United States There are over ***** times more beef cows than milk cows living in the United States. Raising cattle is notoriously expensive, not only in terms of land, feed, and equipment, but also in terms of the environmental impact of consuming beef. Beef and milk have the highest carbon footprints of any type of food in the United States. U.S. milk market The volume of milk produced in the United States has been steadily increasing over the last several years. In 2023, total milk production in the U.S. was about ***** billion pounds, up from ***** billion pounds in 2010. ********** is the leading producer of milk of any U.S. state, generating approximately ** billion pounds of milk in 2022. Wisconsin came in second, producing about **** billion pounds of milk in that year.

Expressed in 1000 heads, as reported in the annual livestock survey that is carried out in November/December.

India's cattle inventory amounted to about *** million in 2023. In comparison, the global cattle population stood at over ***********, India had the highest cattle population followed by Brazil, China and the United States that year. Where are cattle bred in India? As one of the leading dairy producers and consumers worldwide, cattle in the south Asian country were bred mainly in the rural areas. However, its population was spread unevenly across the vast land. Uttar Pradesh ranked first in terms of milk production, followed by Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh in 2023. Contextualizing the holiness of the Indian cow Considered a sacred animal by Hindus in India, the cow is associated with several gods and goddesses. This deep religious and cultural significance has led to communal tensions. In 2014, the government established the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to conserve and develop indigenous breeds of cows and buffaloes. While the general goal was well-received, it aligns with the underlying Hindu nationalist narrative of the current government.

Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Tibet data was reported at 5,555.000 Unit th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,447.000 Unit th for 2021. Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Tibet data is updated yearly, averaging 4,713.000 Unit th from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2022, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,555.000 Unit th in 2022 and a record low of 4,513.000 Unit th in 2012. Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Tibet data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table CN.RID: Number of Livestock: Large Animals: Cow .

Global Whole Fresh Cow Milk Producing Population Share by Country (Units (Heads)), 2023 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Belgium Number of Livestock: Cows data was reported at 2,240,623.000 Unit in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,353,418.000 Unit for 2021. Belgium Number of Livestock: Cows data is updated yearly, averaging 2,596,542.000 Unit from Apr 1997 (Median) to 2022, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,157,095.000 Unit in 1997 and a record low of 2,240,623.000 Unit in 2022. Belgium Number of Livestock: Cows data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.B012: Number of Livestock.

Georgia Number of Livestock: Cattles and Buffaloes: ow Cows data was reported at 454.100 Head th in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 467.000 Head th for Jun 2018. Georgia Number of Livestock: Cattles and Buffaloes: ow Cows data is updated quarterly, averaging 581.700 Head th from Mar 2005 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 740.800 Head th in Mar 2005 and a record low of 454.100 Head th in Sep 2018. Georgia Number of Livestock: Cattles and Buffaloes: ow Cows data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Statistics Office of Georgia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Georgia – Table GE.B005: Number of Livestock.

Ethiopia had the highest number of cattle in Africa as of 2023, nearly ** million heads. United Republic of Tanzania possessed the second-highest bovine animal stock on the continent, with about ** million heads. In 2022, Africa had over *** million heads of cattle, one of the major species raised for livestock farming on the continent.

Brazil Number of Livestock: Slaughtered Cattle: Cow: Paraná data was reported at 41,868.000 Head in Mar 2019. This records an increase from the previous number of 37,406.000 Head for Feb 2019. Brazil Number of Livestock: Slaughtered Cattle: Cow: Paraná data is updated monthly, averaging 30,904.000 Head from Jan 1997 (Median) to Mar 2019, with 267 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 49,641.000 Head in Jun 2005 and a record low of 10,432.000 Head in Feb 2001. Brazil Number of Livestock: Slaughtered Cattle: Cow: Paraná data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table BR.RIK005: Number of Livestock: Cattle.

China Livestock: Number: Cow: Dairy Cow data was reported at 11,601.000 Unit th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,943.000 Unit th for 2021. China Livestock: Number: Cow: Dairy Cow data is updated yearly, averaging 12,603.000 Unit th from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2022, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,072.000 Unit th in 2015 and a record low of 10,377.000 Unit th in 2018. China Livestock: Number: Cow: Dairy Cow data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table CN.RID: Number of Livestock: Large Animals: Cow .

China Livestock: Number: Cow data was reported at 105,085.102 Unit th in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 102,158.520 Unit th for 2022. China Livestock: Number: Cow data is updated yearly, averaging 103,974.569 Unit th from Dec 1989 (Median) to 2023, with 35 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 132,060.000 Unit th in 1995 and a record low of 88,344.899 Unit th in 2016. China Livestock: Number: Cow data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table CN.RID: Number of Livestock: Large Animals: Cow .

Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Zhejiang data was reported at 109.000 Unit th in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 121.000 Unit th for 2021. Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Zhejiang data is updated yearly, averaging 103.000 Unit th from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2022, with 15 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 121.000 Unit th in 2021 and a record low of 23.000 Unit th in 2008. Livestock: Number: Beef Cattle: Zhejiang data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Agriculture Sector – Table CN.RID: Number of Livestock: Large Animals: Cow .

California was the leading U.S. state in terms of the overall number of milk cows, with a total of over 1.7 million milk cows as of 2024. The total number of milk cows on farms in the United States shows that California holds a significant share of the total number of milk cows in the country. Unsurprisingly, California is also the leading milk producing state in the United States. Dairy industry in the U.S. According to the USDA, milk from U.S. farms is 90 percent water, with milk fat and skim solids making up the remaining 10 percent. Cow milk is a component of several dietary staples, such as cheese, butter, and yoghurt. Dairy is a very important industry in the United States, with this sector alone creating significant employment throughout the United States. The overall income of dairy farms in the U.S. amounted to about 51.3 billion U.S. dollars. Holtsein is the most popular breed of dairy cow farmed in the United States. Holstein have the highest milk production per cow in comparison to any other breed. Where is the U.S. positioned in the global dairy market? Topped only by the EU-27, the United States ranks as the second largest cow milk producer in the world, followed by India, Russia, and China. The United States also features among the top ten global milk exporters. The outlook for the future of the industry is also good, with milk production in the United States projected to steadily increase over the next years.

Cheptels by herd size by municipality Agreste – Agricultural Censuses (1988, 2000, 2010) **** All farms (excluding collective grazing) Small farms Medium and large holdings Reference years: 1988, 2000, 2010 Livestock: Total Bovines Total Vaches Dairy cows Suckler cows Bovine animals of one year or more Bovine animals less than one year old Total Equidae Goats Nurturing sheep Dairy ewes Total Pigs Breeding sows of 50 kg or more Broilers and roosters Herd size: Together Of which 1 to 19 heads (cows, goats, nurturing sheep, pigs, sows) Of which 1 to 39 heads (total cattle, chickens) Of which 80 or more heads (cows) Of which 100 or more heads (total cattle) Of which 150 or more heads (goats, nurturing sheep) Of which 200 or more heads (dairy grapes, sows) Of which 500 or more heads (total pigs) 10000 or more heads (chickles) Livestock unit: Holdings having Corresponding livestock (heads) * * * * # The agricultural censuses, ten-year surveys, offer an instant, complete and detailed picture of a key sector of the French and European economy: agriculture (agricultural population, plant areas, including vineyards, livestock numbers, means of production, ancillary activities, etc.). It answers questions as diverse as it is varied, at all geographical levels, allowing comparisons at the finest level (canton, common) and takes into account the local specificities as well as the new challenges of agriculture, such as signs of quality, territorial farm contracts, cultivation practices, etc. It is also interested in smaller farms and the important local impact. To prepare for the future of the agricultural world: The agricultural census makes it possible to measure the impact of agricultural policies, in particular the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), on agricultural practices and the environment. It gives political leaders, national elected officials and representatives of the profession keys to preparing future agricultural laws and regulations and international negotiations. It provides elected representatives of rural communes with valuable data for spatial management and spatial planning. The 2010 agricultural census follows the 1970, 1979, 1988 and 2000 censuses. The 2020 agricultural census will soon begin. The main data relate to: Crops and areas cultivated, Breeding and livestock, Methods of crop protection, Farm equipment, Diversification of activities (green tourism...), The marketing of products (AOC, direct sales to consumers, etc.), Employment (employee, family employment, etc.) and the level of training of the farmer, Management of the farm. There is no question about the financial results or the income of farmers. Who was identified? Investigators identified all production units meeting 3 criteria > producing agricultural products; > have an independent day-to-day management; > attain or exceed a certain threshold in area, production or number of animals. This threshold has been defined as follows: > a utilised agricultural area (UAA) of 1 hectare or more; > or a specialised crop area greater than or equal to 20 ares; > or sufficient agricultural production activity, estimated in terms of number of animals, production area or minimum production volume.

Dairy Cattle Breeding Feed Market Outlook

The global dairy cattle breeding feed market size was valued at approximately USD 15.3 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach around USD 22.9 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period. The anticipated growth in this market is driven by several factors, including increasing demand for dairy products, advanced breeding technologies, and rising awareness among farmers about the importance of quality feed in enhancing dairy cattle productivity and health.

One of the primary growth factors for the dairy cattle breeding feed market is the rising global demand for dairy products. This demand is driven by population growth, increased urbanization, and rising disposable incomes, particularly in developing countries. As consumers seek more nutritious and diverse food options, the dairy industry is under pressure to increase production. Consequently, farmers are investing in high-quality breeding feeds that can enhance cattle productivity, improve milk yield, and promote overall cattle health.

Technological advancements in animal nutrition and feed production are also significantly contributing to market growth. Innovations in feed formulations, fortification with essential nutrients, and the use of precision feeding technologies are helping farmers achieve better outcomes. Enhanced feed efficiency not only supports the health and growth of dairy cattle but also helps in optimizing resource use, thereby reducing production costs and environmental impact. These technological improvements are increasingly being adopted, pushing the market forward.

Moreover, government initiatives and subsidies aimed at promoting the dairy sector play a crucial role in market growth. Several countries have implemented policies to support dairy farming, including providing financial aid for purchasing high-quality feed and investing in research and development to improve feed formulations. These efforts are particularly pronounced in regions with a strong agricultural base, where dairy farming is a significant contributor to the economy. Such governmental support encourages farmers to adopt advanced breeding feeds and practices.

Regionally, the Asia Pacific region is poised to exhibit significant growth in the dairy cattle breeding feed market. This growth can be attributed to the region's large and rapidly growing population, increasing disposable incomes, and expanding dairy industry. Additionally, countries such as India, China, and Japan are witnessing substantial investments in dairy farming infrastructure and technology. North America and Europe also represent significant market shares, driven by high dairy consumption and advanced farming practices. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are emerging as potential markets due to improving economic conditions and increasing focus on agricultural development.

Product Type Analysis

The dairy cattle breeding feed market can be segmented based on product type into protein feed, energy feed, mineral feed, fiber feed, and others. Protein feed, which includes soybean meal, canola meal, and other protein-rich sources, plays a critical role in the growth and milk production of dairy cattle. High-protein feed is essential for young calves and lactating cows, as it supports muscle development and milk yield. The demand for protein feed is driven by its efficacy in improving cattle health and productivity, making it a significant segment in the market.

Energy feed, comprising grains such as corn, barley, and wheat, is another vital segment. Energy feeds provide the necessary calories required for the metabolic processes of dairy cattle. They are particularly important for lactating cows, which have high energy requirements to sustain milk production. The increasing focus on optimizing feed efficiency and enhancing milk yield is propelling the demand for high-quality energy feeds, contributing to the growth of this segment.

Mineral feed, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other trace minerals, is crucial for maintaining overall cattle health and preventing deficiencies that can lead to diseases. Minerals play a significant role in bone development, reproductive health, and metabolic activities. The growing awareness among farmers about the benefits of mineral supplementation in cattle diets is driving the demand for mineral feed, making it an essential component of the dairy cattle breeding feed market.

Fiber feed, which includes silage, hay, and other fibrous mater

A stereotypical image of the Dutch countryside would quite likely consist of flat, green meadows filled with horses, sheep and of course the world-famous black-and-white cows. And there is some truth to each stereotype: there were an impressive ************ cows in the Netherlands in 2021, or almost one-tenth of the country’s human population.

 Scaling up in dairy farming   

In 2021, just over ****** farms owned dairy cows, a considerable decrease in comparison to a decade ago, when there were still over ****** farms with dairy cows. In the same period however, the number of cows per farm increased significantly. Whereas in 2009 the average Dutch farm had ** dairy cows, by 2021 this had grown to ***. So although the number of farms decreased, the remaining farms had more cows to take care of.

Dairy cows in the Benelux countries  

The importance of the Netherlands in dairy farming becomes even more obvious when comparing the number of dairy cows in the country to the other Benelux countries, Belgium and Luxembourg. There were over *********** dairy cows in the Benelux, but three quarters of these cows were Dutch. In comparison, in Belgium there were just under ******* dairy cows in 2021.