Cattle beef and dairy cow

Cattle are commonly raised as livestock; for meat (beef and veal), for milk (dairy cattle), and for hides, which are used to make leather.

According to the FAO, the world has 1.468 billion head of cattle.  

There are over 264 million dairy cows worldwide, and 1.204 billion beeves (beef and veal)

• Brazil has the largest cattle inventory in the world followed by India and China.
  
• More than 100 countries (104) have a cattle inventory in excess of 1 million head. 
  
• The United States has the 4th largest cattle inventory in the world  (89 million heads).
  
• Canada ranks 26th with 12 millions heads.

Source FAOstat

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations