Top 10 Countries with the Most Cattle in the World

Noel Polo TV in English

Think you know which countries have the most cattle? Think again! In this fun countdown, we reveal the top 10 cattle countries, share quirky facts, and travel from the Americas to Africa and Asia. You’ll be amazed at the numbers and stories behind these moo-ving herds! Subscribe for more cool videos and let us know in the comments which country surprised you the most! #cattle #animals #geography #farming #facts  👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@noelpolotv  0:00 - Introduction and Global Cattle Trends 1:01 - Mexico: Cattle History and Influence 2:19 - Africa: Tanzania and Chad's Cattle Boom 5:10 - Argentina: Grasslands and Decline 6:44 - Pakistan: Largest Cattle Growth 8:18 - China's Cattle Decline and Legacy 9:37 - Ethiopia: High Plateau and Significance 11:14 - Top Three: US, India, Brazil & Conclusion

Transcript

00:00The number of cattle in the United States has dropped by almost 8 million heads over the past

00:0520 years, the second largest decline in the world. But despite this, the United States still remains

00:10the country with the third largest cattle population, with almost 90 million heads in 2024.

00:18On the other hand, Pakistan recorded the largest increase over the past 20 years. From 23.7 million

00:25cattle, it grew to over 57 million, the largest increase compared to other countries. Because of

00:31this, it is estimated that the total cattle population worldwide reached over 1.5 billion in 2024.

00:39So I thought of finding out how many amusing pictures of cattle I could include in a video,

00:46and most importantly, which countries have the most cattle in the world. But before we start,

00:52if you're new to our channel, make sure to subscribe so you'll always be updated with videos like this.

01:01In the 10th spot is Mexico with almost 37 million cattle. Their population grew by almost 20% since

01:092004, giving them the 15th largest increase in the past two decades. Approximately 56% of almost 200

01:17million hectares. Hectares of land in Mexico are used for raising livestock, providing livelihood to an

01:23estimated 880,000 people. According to a study published in Frontiers, Mexico is also one of the

01:31countries with the greatest influence when it comes to cattle raising culture. The very first cattle arrived in

01:37Veracruz in 1521, when they were brought from the island of Hispaniola by a Spaniard named Gregorio

01:45de Villalobos. Over the centuries, people who became skilled in managing large herds of cattle in Mexico were

01:52called vaqueros, from the Spanish word vaca, which means cattle. As cattle raising expanded into the

02:01northern part of the continent, their knowledge and methods of management also spread. Eventually, this skill

02:08became known in the English speaking world as cowboy. Mexico is one of four countries in the Americas that

02:15are among the top 10 in terms of cattle population. But to continue our journey, we will first cross the

02:22Atlantic Ocean to Africa to visit one of the most beautiful countries in the world. In ninth place is

02:30Tanzania, a country known for its rich wildlife and amazing national parks. But aside from this, it is also

02:37home to almost 40 million cattle, most of which are found in the northern part of the country, especially

02:43around Lake Victoria. The number of their cattle has more than doubled compared to 20 years ago, making

02:50Tanzania the country with the fifth largest increase in cattle population in the world.

02:57According to some estimates, about 51% of Tanzania's total land area is made up of natural grasslands.

03:04These grasslands support more than 90% of the total population of grazing animals such as cattle, goats,

03:11and sheep. And if you think the history of cattle raising in Mexico is impressive, Tanzania has an even

03:17longer story. According to a study published in PubMed, specialized pastoralism or traditional animal

03:24husbandry began to spread in Kenya and northern Tanzania about 3,300 years ago. In the next 2,000 years,

03:33various societies based on herding and animal husbandry emerged in these countries.

03:39After another roughly 1,300 years, today, according to the World Bank, the livestock sector in Tanzania

03:48provides livelihood to an estimated 4.6 million households. Tanzania's total of 39 million cattle

03:55is surpassed by only about half a million heads by a country that many might be surprised to find is

04:02located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. In eighth place is Chad with approximately 39.6 million

04:10cattle. In the past two decades, their cattle population has almost tripled. Because of this,

04:17Chad has the fourth largest increase in cattle population over 20 years, one rank higher than Tanzania.

04:25In 2024, the estimated population of Chad is 20.3 million people. This means there are almost

04:32two cows for every person in this country on the edge of the Sahara. It is estimated that only 40

04:38%

04:38of Chad's total land is suitable for agriculture. But if you look at the division of land, you can see

04:44why their livestock industry is so big. Only 4% of the land can be used for crops, while the

04:51remaining 36%

04:52is permanent pasture. Because of this, the country focuses more on raising animals than on farming.

04:58It's not surprising that most of Chad's cattle are found in the southern part of the country,

05:04below the Sahara Desert, where the land is more fertile and better suited for grazing. And if you

05:10think 39.6 million cattle is already a lot, get ready because we're about to cross the Atlantic Ocean,

05:17where our next destination will be the first to surpass 50 million head of cattle. In seventh place is

05:23Argentina, with approximately 52.8 million cattle, making it one of the countries with the most cattle

05:31in the world. Most of these can be found in the northeastern part of the country, in a vast region

05:37known as the Pampas Grasslands, one of the largest temperate grassland ecosystems in the world. Although

05:44Argentina has the highest per capita consumption of beef in the world, even higher than the United States,

05:50the number of their cattle has also decreased since 2004. In the span of two decades, it has decreased

05:58by more than four million heads, which is the fifth largest decline in the world. There are several

06:04reasons behind this decline, including laws and policies that were not effective and led to

06:09unexpected results, as well as the rapid expansion of the soybean industry. According to a study published

06:16in nature, most of the expansion of soybean fields happened on former pastures that were originally

06:22used for cattle raising. Despite this decline, the centuries-old ranching culture in Argentina remains

06:28strong, led by one of its most famous symbols, the gaucho, the equivalent of the cowboy in Mexico.

06:36If we only consider the countries in the American continent, Argentina ranks third in terms of the

06:42largest cattle population. But now, we will move to another continent to visit a country that has set

06:49an impressive record. In sixth place is Pakistan, the country that experienced the largest increase

06:56in cattle population in the past 20 years. From 23.8 million cattle in 2004, it reached 57.5 million

07:05by

07:052024 slightly higher than the two countries that follow it on the list. The Indus River flows from

07:12the mountains of the Himalayas down through the middle of Pakistan to the Arabian Sea, forming one

07:19of the most fertile lands in the history of the world. Because of this, the highest concentration of cattle

07:25in Pakistan can be found in the eastern part of the country. Just like in Tanzania, for thousands of years,

07:31raising cattle has been a part of the way of life for the people of Pakistan.

07:34Aside from being sources of milk and meat, cattle are also used as draft animals and partners in

07:42heavy farm work. Currently, 62% of Pakistan's 241 million people live in rural areas. And according to

07:51the 2024 agricultural census, 91% of households in rural areas raise at least one type of animal. As

08:02Pakistan is also home to the second largest population of domesticated buffaloes in the world.

08:07They have approximately 46.3 million buffaloes a number, not far from their 57.5 million cattle.

08:15Now we are getting ready to jump to the next level. Because the next country on our list already has

08:20more

08:20than 70 million cattle a country that has benefited more from its vast territory than from the number of

08:27cattle per square kilometer. In fifth place is China, a country with a unique record. This is

08:33the country that has recorded the largest decrease in cattle population over the past 20 years. Since

08:382004, their cattle numbers have decreased by almost 22 million heads, nearly three times greater than the

08:45decline in the United States. However, despite this significant drop, China still has more than 70 million

08:53cattle which keeps it in fifth place worldwide. In ancient times, cattle in China were primarily used to

09:00help with farming. Because of their importance, several dynasties implemented laws prohibiting the slaughter of

09:07cattle used in the fields. It was also believed that in ancient China, eating beef was considered taboo or

09:15undesirable. But in modern times, it has become one of the most popular types of meat in their cuisine.

09:21The cattle population in China grew rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s. But after that period,

09:28it started to decline again. Despite this, China remains one of the five countries with the largest

09:34cattle population in the world. If you think that China's 70 million cattle would be more impressive

09:41if their country were smaller, our next destination is only about one-tenth the size of China. This is also

09:47one of the most fascinating countries in Africa, located in the eastern part of the continent. In fourth place

09:55is Ethiopia, which is perhaps one of the most remarkable countries on this list when you consider the size

10:01of its territory. This country in East Africa is only about half the size of Mexico, but it has almost

10:07doubled the number of cattle, reaching approximately 72 million. Over the past years, the cattle population

10:15has almost doubled. Since 2000, it has increased by more than 33 million heads, which is the third largest

10:23increase in the world. The largest highland plateau in Africa is found in Ethiopia, covering almost

10:29500,000 square kilometers, or about 40% of the country's total land area. Ethiopia is home to the largest

10:38highland plateau in Africa, which is also where 70% of their cattle are found. This is notable because

10:46the setse fly, an insect known for carrying diseases that affect cattle, is usually found in areas with lower

10:54elevation than the high plateaus of Ethiopia. In addition, cattle also play a very significant

11:00role in the culture of Ethiopia. In many communities, the number of cattle a person owns is considered

11:07a symbol of wealth and social status. Unfortunately, Ethiopia is the last country in Africa on our list.

11:14And now, we're going to add about 15 million more cattle as we explore the country with the third largest

11:21cattle population in the world. In third place is the United States, with over 87 million cattle.

11:29Although this country experienced the second largest decline in cattle population since 2000,

11:35it still remains one of the countries with the largest cattle herds in the world. Most of the cattle

11:42in the United States are found in the Great Plains, the vast plains located east of the Rocky Mountains.

11:47Because of the vast grasslands in this region, it has become a perfect place for large-scale cattle ranching.

11:55According to the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, in 2017, approximately 29%

12:03of the total land area of the United States was made up of grasslands, pastures, and rangeland.

12:08Meanwhile, 28% is forest and 17% is farmland. Another important reason why the United States can support

12:18so many cattle is because it is the largest producer of corn in the world. Corn is one of the

12:24most important

12:25ingredients in animal feed and is estimated to make up almost 40% of the total corn consumption in the

12:31country, according to the USDA. The United States is also one of the two countries that have more than 30

12:37breeds of cattle that originated in their own country, according to Wikipedia. Most of these breeds are

12:45raised for meat or milk production, supporting one of the highest levels of beef and dairy product

12:52consumption per person in the world. The United States is the highest ranked country on our list,

12:59with a cattle population of less than 100 million. Because of this, our next destination is a huge leap,

13:06going to almost 200 million cattle, the first of two countries with a truly massive cattle population.

13:15In second place is India, with approximately 195 million cattle unlike the country in first place.

13:23The cattle population in India has remained almost unchanged over the past 20 years. Since 2004,

13:29it has only increased by about 0.3%. One major difference between India and the United States is the use

13:38of

13:38their cattle breeds. Of the 56 cattle breeds associated with India on Wikipedia, 31 are primarily used as

13:46draft animals and farm helpers. There are 22 breeds used for milk production, while only three are

13:53primarily raised for meat. Religion also has a significant influence on the number of cattle in India.

13:59According to the USDA, slaughtering cattle is prohibited in 27 out of 36 states and Union territories in India.

14:08Because of this, even unproductive cattle continue to be cared for instead of being removed from the herd.

14:14Another major difference between India and the United States is the average herd size for each farmer.

14:21According to a study, 86% of farmers in India operate small farms, which usually raise only one to five

14:29cattle.

14:30Because of this, cattle can be seen almost everywhere in India, and it is the only country on this list

14:37with such an

14:37even distribution of cattle population across different regions. In addition, India also has the

14:43largest buffalo population in the world, reaching approximately 112 million. This is more than double

14:51compared to the 46.3 million buffaloes found in Pakistan. India's 195 million cattle is impressive.

15:00But there is still one more country left on our list. This is the only country in the world with

15:05more than 200

15:06million cattle. In first place is Brazil, the country with the most cattle in the world. In 2024,

15:15their cattle population reached an astonishing 238.2 million. Unlike India, Brazil has experienced a

15:24massive increase in their cattle numbers over the past 20 years. Since 2004, their national herd has

15:31increased by approximately 33.7 million cattle, the second largest increase in the world, surpassed only

15:38by Pakistan. By 2026, Brazil will be the largest producer of beef, worldwide accounting for about 20%

15:47of global production. This very high production is possible because of the country's vast land area and

15:54its tropical climate. Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and home to some of the most

15:59famous tropical grasslands, including the Pantanal and Cerrado. Because of this, there is enough pasture

16:07for cattle all year round. Most of the cattle in Brazil belong to the Nalor breed. The Nalor is a

16:13breed developed in Brazil after importing Angole cattle from India in the late 1860s. These cattle,

16:21which belong to the Indosign type, are better suited to Brazil's hot and tropical climate than many

16:27cattle breeds that originated in Europe. Because of this, Nalor makes up the majority of the cattle

16:33population in Brazil, whether purebred or crossbred. Although it is estimated that there are over 1,000

16:41breeds of domestic cattle worldwide, there are fewer than 20 recognized wild cattle species living in

16:48the wild. If you want to get to know all 18 species of wild cattle and learn about the history

16:53of how

16:54cattle became domesticated, watch our previous video. Thank you very much for watching and see you in the

17:01next video.

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