> Switzerland had 1.5 million cattle in 2024, the 95th largest in the world (0.10% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 1.9%.

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

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# Cattle in Switzerland

Switzerland had 1.5 million cattle in 2024, the 95th largest in the world (0.10% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 1.9%. The record was 2.0 million head in 1979.

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

Animals, 20241.5 million head
World rank95 of 190
10-year change−1.9%
Record2.0 million head1979

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

## Switzerland compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.10%0.11% in 2014
10-year change−1.9%world +9.7%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 93 | [Costa Rica](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/costa-rica/) | 1,576,149 | 0.10% |
| 94 | [Rwanda](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/rwanda/) | 1,545,688 | 0.10% |
| 95 | **Switzerland** | 1,533,483 | 0.10% |
| 96 | [Haiti](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/haiti/) | 1,524,965 | 0.10% |
| 97 | [Portugal](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/portugal/) | 1,486,910 | 0.09% |

[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; Switzerland is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 1,533,483 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 1,528,595 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 1,525,270 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 1,513,701 | −0.1% |
| 2020 | 1,515,123 | −0.6% |
| 2019 | 1,524,820 | −1.2% |
| 2018 | 1,543,345 | −0.1% |
| 2017 | 1,544,612 | −0.7% |
| 2016 | 1,555,396 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 1,554,319 | −0.5% |
| 2014 | 1,562,801 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 1,557,474 | −0.5% |
| 2012 | 1,564,631 | −0.8% |
| 2011 | 1,577,407 | −0.9% |
| 2010 | 1,591,233 | −0.4% |
| 2009 | 1,597,484 | −0.4% |
| 2008 | 1,604,287 | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 1,571,764 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 1,566,900 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 1,554,696 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 1,544,547 | −1.6% |
| 2003 | 1,570,178 | −1.5% |
| 2002 | 1,593,697 | −1.1% |
| 2001 | 1,611,351 | +1.5% |
| 2000 | 1,588,005 | −1.3% |
| 1999 | 1,608,735 | −2.0% |
| 1998 | 1,640,871 | −1.9% |
| 1997 | 1,672,900 | −4.2% |
| 1996 | 1,747,071 | −0.1% |
| 1995 | 1,748,274 | −0.4% |
| 1994 | 1,755,400 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 1,745,087 | −2.1% |
| 1992 | 1,782,600 | −2.5% |
| 1991 | 1,828,900 | −1.4% |
| 1990 | 1,855,200 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 1,850,300 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 1,836,973 | −1.1% |
| 1987 | 1,857,600 | −2.3% |
| 1986 | 1,902,000 | −1.3% |
| 1985 | 1,926,200 | −0.9% |
| 1984 | 1,943,000 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 1,932,897 | −0.6% |
| 1982 | 1,944,500 | −0.5% |
| 1981 | 1,954,300 | −3.8% |
| 1980 | 2,030,600 | −0.4% |
| 1979 | 2,038,000 | +0.7% |
| 1978 | 2,023,679 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 2,004,800 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2,004,700 | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 1,964,800 | −0.4% |
| 1974 | 1,972,500 | +3.2% |
| 1973 | 1,910,827 | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 1,840,600 | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 1,822,700 | −4.4% |
| 1970 | 1,907,400 | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 1,869,300 | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 1,854,990 | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 1,835,300 | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 1,796,400 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 1,773,000 | +4.4% |
| 1964 | 1,698,000 | −1.0% |
| 1963 | 1,716,000 | −3.7% |
| 1962 | 1,781,500 | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 1,760,800 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many cattle are there in Switzerland?

Switzerland had 1.5 million cattle in 2024, 0.10% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

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

Switzerland ranked 95th 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 Switzerland changed?

It fell by 1.9% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 2.0 million head in 1979.

### 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 Switzerland

[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/switzerland/)[Sugar beet](https://husfarm.com/production/sugar-beet/switzerland/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/switzerland/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/switzerland/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/switzerland/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/switzerland/)[Apples](https://husfarm.com/production/apples/switzerland/)[Pork (pig meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/pork/switzerland/)[Cheese from whole cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cheese-from-whole-cow-milk/switzerland/)[Raw sugar](https://husfarm.com/production/raw-sugar/switzerland/)[Maize](https://husfarm.com/production/maize/switzerland/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/switzerland/)
[Agricultural production in Switzerland](https://husfarm.com/production/country/switzerland/)

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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