> Australia had 30.4 million cattle in 2024, the 12th largest in the world (1.92% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 4.4%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/australia/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Cattle](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)›AustraliaFAOSTAT · 1961–2024

# Cattle in Australia

Australia had 30.4 million cattle in 2024, the 12th largest in the world (1.92% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 4.4%. The record was 33.4 million head in 1976.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/beef/)

Animals, 202430.4 million head
World rank12 of 190
10-year change+4.4%
Record33.4 million head1976

## Cattle in Australia, 1961–2024 (head)

## Australia compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total1.9%2.0% in 2014
10-year change+4.4%world +9.7%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 10 | [Mexico](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/mexico/) | 36,933,201 | 2.3% |
| 11 | [Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/sudan/) | 31,256,148 | 2.0% |
| 12 | **Australia** | 30,372,537 | 1.9% |
| 13 | [Colombia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/colombia/) | 30,344,182 | 1.9% |
| 14 | [Bangladesh](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/bangladesh/) | 25,013,000 | 1.6% |

[Full ranking of 190 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)

### Map of cattle numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Australia is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 30,372,537 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 29,878,186 | +22% |
| 2022 | 24,398,826 | −0.1% |
| 2021 | 24,431,174 | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 23,503,238 | −4.9% |
| 2019 | 24,723,458 | −6.3% |
| 2018 | 26,395,734 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 26,175,521 | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 24,971,349 | −8.9% |
| 2015 | 27,412,872 | −5.8% |
| 2014 | 29,103,000 | −0.6% |
| 2013 | 29,290,768 | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 28,418,422 | −0.3% |
| 2011 | 28,506,168 | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 26,733,000 | −4.2% |
| 2009 | 27,906,764 | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 27,320,978 | −2.6% |
| 2007 | 28,036,600 | −1.3% |
| 2006 | 28,393,400 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 27,782,000 | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 27,465,000 | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 26,664,000 | −4.3% |
| 2002 | 27,870,000 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 27,721,000 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 27,588,000 | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 26,578,000 | −1.0% |
| 1998 | 26,852,000 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 26,780,000 | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 26,377,400 | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 25,731,220 | −0.1% |
| 1994 | 25,757,600 | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 24,061,808 | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 23,879,984 | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 23,662,256 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 23,162,208 | +3.2% |
| 1989 | 22,434,288 | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 21,850,816 | −0.3% |
| 1987 | 21,914,672 | −6.5% |
| 1986 | 23,436,080 | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 22,737,760 | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 22,161,312 | −1.4% |
| 1983 | 22,478,336 | −8.4% |
| 1982 | 24,552,800 | −2.4% |
| 1981 | 25,167,984 | −3.9% |
| 1980 | 26,202,704 | −3.4% |
| 1979 | 27,111,664 | −7.6% |
| 1978 | 29,329,872 | −7.0% |
| 1977 | 31,533,376 | −5.7% |
| 1976 | 33,434,192 | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 32,792,704 | +6.3% |
| 1974 | 30,838,784 | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 29,100,688 | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 27,373,312 | +12% |
| 1971 | 24,373,136 | +10.0% |
| 1970 | 22,162,464 | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 20,611,008 | +7.2% |
| 1968 | 19,218,000 | +5.2% |
| 1967 | 18,269,744 | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 17,935,984 | −4.7% |
| 1965 | 18,815,792 | −1.3% |
| 1964 | 19,054,704 | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 18,548,832 | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 18,033,168 | +4.0% |
| 1961 | 17,332,256 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many cattle are there in Australia?

Australia had 30.4 million cattle in 2024, 1.9% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Australia rank in the world by number of cattle?

Australia ranked 12th of 190 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in Brazil with 15.1% of the world total.

### How has the number of cattle in Australia changed?

It rose by 4.4% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 33.4 million head in 1976.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[Brazil](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/brazil/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/india/)[United States](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/united-states/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/ethiopia/)[China](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/china/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/pakistan/)[Argentina](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/argentina/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/chad/)[Tanzania](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/tanzania/)[Mexico](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/mexico/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/sudan/)[Colombia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/colombia/)
[All countries producing cattle](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)

## Other products of Australia

[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/australia/)[Sugar cane](https://husfarm.com/production/sugar-cane/australia/)[Barley](https://husfarm.com/production/barley/australia/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/australia/)[Rapeseed](https://husfarm.com/production/rapeseed/australia/)[Raw sugar](https://husfarm.com/production/raw-sugar/australia/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/australia/)[Sorghum](https://husfarm.com/production/sorghum/australia/)[Seed cotton](https://husfarm.com/production/seed-cotton/australia/)[Chick peas, dry](https://husfarm.com/production/chick-peas/australia/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/australia/)[Grapes](https://husfarm.com/production/grapes/australia/)
[Agricultural production in Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/country/australia/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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