Cattle in New Zealand
New Zealand had 9.5 million cattle in 2024, the 35th largest in the world (0.60% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 8.2%. The record was 10.4 million head in 2014.
- Animals, 2024
- 9.5 million head
- World rank
- 35 of 190
- 10-year change
- −8.2%
- Record
- 10.4 million head
- 2014
Cattle in New Zealand, 1961–2024 (head)
New Zealand compared with the world, 2024
- Share of world total
- 0.60%
- 0.72% in 2014
- 10-year change
- −8.2%
- world +9.7%
Position in the world ranking
| # | Country | Head | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Germany | 10,461,290 | 0.66% |
| 34 | Burkina Faso | 10,280,515 | 0.65% |
| 35 | New Zealand | 9,516,288 | 0.60% |
| 36 | United Kingdom | 9,411,871 | 0.60% |
| 37 | Guinea | 9,319,774 | 0.59% |
Map of cattle numbers by country
Share of the world total; New Zealand is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.
By year
| Year | Head | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9,516,288 | −0.2% |
| 2023 | 9,538,661 | −2.2% |
| 2022 | 9,751,189 | −3.9% |
| 2021 | 10,150,246 | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 10,082,788 | −0.7% |
| 2019 | 10,150,891 | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 10,106,803 | −0.4% |
| 2017 | 10,145,902 | −0.1% |
| 2016 | 10,151,854 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 10,032,763 | −3.2% |
| 2014 | 10,368,188 | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 10,182,122 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10,180,093 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 10,020,917 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 9,863,972 | −1.0% |
| 2009 | 9,961,494 | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 9,715,312 | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 9,654,467 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 9,608,693 | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 9,510,802 | −0.9% |
| 2004 | 9,599,892 | −1.3% |
| 2003 | 9,728,220 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 9,652,870 | +4.0% |
| 2001 | 9,281,000 | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 9,015,000 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 8,960,114 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 8,873,000 | −3.0% |
| 1997 | 9,145,000 | +1.4% |
| 1996 | 9,017,277 | −2.8% |
| 1995 | 9,272,325 | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 8,887,000 | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 8,308,000 | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 8,144,321 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 8,099,996 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 8,033,976 | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 7,828,433 | −2.8% |
| 1988 | 8,057,898 | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 7,998,958 | −3.4% |
| 1986 | 8,279,122 | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 7,921,150 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 7,776,600 | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 7,630,482 | −3.6% |
| 1982 | 7,912,303 | −1.5% |
| 1981 | 8,035,468 | −1.2% |
| 1980 | 8,131,214 | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 8,022,405 | −4.7% |
| 1978 | 8,418,011 | −3.7% |
| 1977 | 8,737,641 | −3.1% |
| 1976 | 9,017,094 | −3.0% |
| 1975 | 9,292,321 | −0.2% |
| 1974 | 9,311,364 | +4.3% |
| 1973 | 8,924,171 | +3.4% |
| 1972 | 8,631,413 | +8.0% |
| 1971 | 7,994,100 | −8.9% |
| 1970 | 8,777,332 | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 8,604,874 | +4.3% |
| 1968 | 8,247,163 | +6.5% |
| 1967 | 7,746,866 | +7.3% |
| 1966 | 7,217,720 | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 6,801,333 | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 6,696,205 | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 6,690,964 | +1.4% |
| 1962 | 6,597,913 | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 6,445,789 | — |
Questions and answers
How many cattle are there in New Zealand?
New Zealand had 9.5 million cattle in 2024, 0.60% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.
Where does New Zealand rank in the world by number of cattle?
New Zealand ranked 35th 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 New Zealand changed?
It fell by 8.2% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 10.4 million head in 2014.
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
Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. fao.org/faostat. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.