According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), Turkey’s cattle population exceeded 17 million in June 2025. Cattle numbers increased in the first half of the year, while water buffalo numbers declined. Meanwhile, small ruminant livestock rose by 6.7% to 58.2 million heads.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (TOB) and TURKSTAT, with a reference date of June 30, 2025, show that the number of cattle increased by 1.2% compared to December 2024, reaching 17,030,000 heads. Water buffalo numbers decreased by 2.3%, totaling 158,000 heads. This brought the total large livestock population to 17,189,000.

Small ruminant numbers also recorded notable growth. Sheep numbers rose 6.7% to 47,015,000 heads, while goats increased 3.4% to 11,191,000 heads, bringing the total small livestock population to 58,206,000. TOB collects data at the district level, and TÜİK is responsible for publishing the statistics.