> Uruguay had 12.0 million cattle in 2024, the 29th largest in the world (0.76% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 1.1%.

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

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# Cattle in Uruguay

Uruguay had 12.0 million cattle in 2024, the 29th largest in the world (0.76% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 1.1%. The record was 12.7 million head in 2008.
The 2024 figure is imputed by FAO.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/beef/)[Market prices in Uruguay](https://husfarm.com/country/uruguay/)

Animals, 202412.0 million head
World rank29 of 190
10-year change+1.1%
Record12.7 million head2008

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

## Uruguay compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.76%0.82% in 2014
10-year change+1.1%world +9.7%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 27 | [Paraguay](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/paraguay/) | 13,630,216 | 0.86% |
| 28 | [South Africa](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/south-africa/) | 12,122,027 | 0.77% |
| 29 | **Uruguay** | 11,960,556 | 0.76% |
| 30 | [Bolivia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/bolivia/) | 11,245,622 | 0.71% |
| 31 | [Canada](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/canada/) | 10,985,000 | 0.70% |

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

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 11,960,556 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 11,877,000 | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 11,572,000 | −2.8% |
| 2021 | 11,910,000 | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 11,182,000 | −2.0% |
| 2019 | 11,411,000 | −0.5% |
| 2018 | 11,468,000 | −2.3% |
| 2017 | 11,739,000 | −2.1% |
| 2016 | 11,993,000 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 11,911,000 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 11,834,000 | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 11,536,000 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 11,406,000 | −3.4% |
| 2011 | 11,808,000 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 11,800,000 | −5.5% |
| 2009 | 12,490,000 | −1.3% |
| 2008 | 12,657,000 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 12,368,000 | −0.6% |
| 2006 | 12,437,000 | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 11,956,000 | −0.0% |
| 2004 | 11,958,000 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 11,708,000 | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 11,268,000 | +6.4% |
| 2001 | 10,595,000 | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 10,353,000 | −0.3% |
| 1999 | 10,389,000 | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 10,297,000 | −2.4% |
| 1997 | 10,553,000 | −0.9% |
| 1996 | 10,651,000 | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 10,450,000 | −0.6% |
| 1994 | 10,511,000 | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 10,217,000 | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 9,670,000 | +7.4% |
| 1991 | 9,001,000 | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 8,692,000 | −8.0% |
| 1989 | 9,446,155 | −8.6% |
| 1988 | 10,330,911 | +3.9% |
| 1987 | 9,945,313 | +6.9% |
| 1986 | 9,300,479 | −0.8% |
| 1985 | 9,371,000 | +3.4% |
| 1984 | 9,061,919 | −6.6% |
| 1983 | 9,704,325 | −14% |
| 1982 | 11,236,590 | −1.6% |
| 1981 | 11,420,838 | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 11,173,000 | +8.5% |
| 1979 | 10,300,000 | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 10,001,000 | −1.1% |
| 1977 | 10,111,000 | −2.6% |
| 1976 | 10,383,000 | −9.9% |
| 1975 | 11,530,000 | +8.0% |
| 1974 | 10,672,000 | +8.2% |
| 1973 | 9,860,187 | +6.3% |
| 1972 | 9,272,651 | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 8,727,000 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 8,563,747 | −3.8% |
| 1969 | 8,900,000 | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 8,622,000 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 8,570,000 | +4.7% |
| 1966 | 8,187,676 | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 8,142,000 | −6.4% |
| 1964 | 8,698,000 | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 8,682,000 | −1.7% |
| 1962 | 8,835,000 | +0.5% |
| 1961 | 8,792,428 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many cattle are there in Uruguay?

Uruguay had 12.0 million cattle in 2024, 0.76% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

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

Uruguay ranked 29th 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 Uruguay changed?

It rose by 1.1% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 12.7 million head in 2008.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Uruguay is imputed by FAO. 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 Uruguay

[Soybeans](https://husfarm.com/production/soybeans/uruguay/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/uruguay/)[Rice (paddy)](https://husfarm.com/production/rice/uruguay/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/uruguay/)[Barley](https://husfarm.com/production/barley/uruguay/)[Maize](https://husfarm.com/production/maize/uruguay/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/uruguay/)[Sugar cane](https://husfarm.com/production/sugar-cane/uruguay/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/uruguay/)[Rapeseed](https://husfarm.com/production/rapeseed/uruguay/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/uruguay/)[Whole milk powder](https://husfarm.com/production/whole-milk-powder/uruguay/)
[Agricultural production in Uruguay](https://husfarm.com/production/country/uruguay/)

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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