> 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%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/new-zealand/

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

# 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.

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

Animals, 20249.5 million head
World rank35 of 190
10-year change−8.2%
Record10.4 million head2014

## Cattle in New Zealand, 1961–2024 (head)

## New Zealand compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.60%0.72% in 2014
10-year change−8.2%world +9.7%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 33 | [Germany](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/germany/) | 10,461,290 | 0.66% |
| 34 | [Burkina Faso](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/burkina-faso/) | 10,280,515 | 0.65% |
| 35 | **New Zealand** | 9,516,288 | 0.60% |
| 36 | [United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/united-kingdom/) | 9,411,871 | 0.60% |
| 37 | [Guinea](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/guinea/) | 9,319,774 | 0.59% |

[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; 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

[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/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/australia/)
[All countries producing cattle](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)

## Other products of New Zealand

[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/new-zealand/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/new-zealand/)[Whole milk powder](https://husfarm.com/production/whole-milk-powder/new-zealand/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/new-zealand/)[Kiwi fruit](https://husfarm.com/production/kiwi-fruit/new-zealand/)[Apples](https://husfarm.com/production/apples/new-zealand/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/new-zealand/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/new-zealand/)[Butter of cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/butter-of-cow-milk/new-zealand/)[Sheep meat](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep-meat/new-zealand/)[Grapes](https://husfarm.com/production/grapes/new-zealand/)[Skim milk and whey powder](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-and-whey-powder/new-zealand/)
[Agricultural production in New Zealand](https://husfarm.com/production/country/new-zealand/)

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.

---
Husfarm: https://husfarm.com/ · Site guide for agents: https://husfarm.com/llms.txt