Cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Cattle livestock count heads was 9.41 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
9.41 million
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
37th
of 197 countries
All-time high
15.25 million
in 1974
All-time low
9.41 million
in 2024
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom, 1961–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 9.41 million for cattle livestock count heads in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.5% on the previous year and down 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom peaked at 15.25 million in 1974 and was at its lowest, 9.41 million, in 2024.
United Kingdom ranks 37th of 197 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 64 years of available data.
Cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 11.98 million | — |
| 1962 | 11.90 million | -0.6% |
| 1963 | 11.76 million | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 11.67 million | -0.8% |
| 1965 | 11.99 million | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 12.25 million | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 12.39 million | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 12.20 million | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 12.42 million | +1.8% |
| 1970 | 12.63 million | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 12.85 million | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 13.53 million | +5.3% |
| 1973 | 14.49 million | +7.1% |
| 1974 | 15.25 million | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 14.76 million | -3.2% |
| 1976 | 14.07 million | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 13.71 million | -2.5% |
| 1978 | 13.57 million | -1.1% |
| 1979 | 13.54 million | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 13.36 million | -1.3% |
| 1981 | 13.06 million | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 13.24 million | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 13.29 million | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 13.21 million | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 12.91 million | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 12.53 million | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 12.17 million | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 11.88 million | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 11.97 million | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 12.08 million | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 11.88 million | -1.6% |
| 1992 | 11.92 million | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 11.85 million | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 11.95 million | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 11.86 million | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 12.04 million | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 11.63 million | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 11.52 million | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 11.42 million | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 11.13 million | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 10.60 million | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 10.34 million | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 10.52 million | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 10.55 million | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 10.77 million | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 10.58 million | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 10.30 million | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 10.11 million | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 10.03 million | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 10.11 million | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 9.93 million | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 9.90 million | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 9.84 million | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 9.84 million | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 9.92 million | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 10.03 million | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 10.00 million | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 9.89 million | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 9.74 million | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 9.62 million | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 9.60 million | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 9.63 million | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 9.56 million | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 9.41 million | -1.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 9.41 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 595,200, 15.8× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 9.41 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1.40 million, 6.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 12.06 million | 11.67 million | 12.42 million | 9 |
| 1970s | 13.84 million | 12.63 million | 15.25 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.76 million | 11.88 million | 13.36 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.82 million | 11.42 million | 12.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.49 million | 10.03 million | 11.13 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.92 million | 9.74 million | 10.11 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.56 million | 9.41 million | 9.63 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 34 Germany 10.46 million compare
- 35 Burkina Faso 10.28 million compare
- 36 New Zealand 9.52 million compare
- 38 Guinea 9.32 million compare
- 39 Kazakhstan 7.98 million compare
- 40 Madagascar 6.96 million compare
More agriculture & rural data for United Kingdom
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.2731 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.0861 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.8055 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2384 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.26 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0064 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 368.63 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1852 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom?
- Cattle livestock count heads in United Kingdom was 9.41 million in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cattle livestock count heads recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 15.25 million in 1974.
- What is the lowest cattle livestock count heads recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.41 million in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for cattle livestock count heads?
- United Kingdom ranks 37th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is cattle livestock count heads rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Cattle livestock count heads. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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