Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States
United States: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 32.16 million animals in 2024. ▼ Falling
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
In 2024, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States stood at 32.16 million animals.
That represents a change of down 3.3% on the previous year and up 4.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States peaked at 48.73 million animals in 1976 and was at its lowest, 29.32 million animals, in 2015.
That places United States 3rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 38.66 million animals | 34.55 million animals | 41.04 million animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 42.04 million animals | 36.40 million animals | 48.73 million animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 38.97 million animals | 36.33 million animals | 41.27 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.33 million animals | 34.37 million animals | 38.58 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.46 million animals | 33.31 million animals | 37.59 million animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.97 million animals | 29.32 million animals | 35.28 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.59 million animals | 32.16 million animals | 34.81 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More agriculture & rural data for United States
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 223.72 billion current US$ (2021)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 0.9% (2021)
- Rural population 67.70 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.2% (2025)
- Rural population 19.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.6% (2024)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 0.9% (2021)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.9% (2021)
- Land under cereal production 54.08 million hectares (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in United States was 32.16 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 48.73 million animals in 1976.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.32 million animals in 2015.
- How does United States rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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