A Detailed Guide on How Many Cows Are Slaughtered Each Day

Animal slaughtering is common nowadays, with daily numbers surpassing 200 million. This includes all animals like chickens, rabbits, turkeys, and cows. However, the scope of this article is limited to cow slaughtering and its numbers. So, how many cows are slaughtered each day? Well, knowing the daily number of cows sent to slaughterhouses is an essential statistic that affects not only our food supply but also the environment and animal welfare.

Further understanding how many cows are slaughtered daily is an essential step to help make informed decisions about the food we eat and its impact. Carry along with us till the end to know years of stats on cow slaughtering, how fast it’s taking over, what countries are involved, which country heads the list, and much more.

Let’s explore!

How Many Cows Are Slaughtered Each Day? (2015-2022)

2015

In 2015, a large number of cows were slaughtered due to various causes, some natural and some accidents. So, how many cows were slaughtered each day in 2015? Well, the approximate number for how many cows are killed each day is 3.9 million; here is a complete breakdown.

Winter Storm Goliath: This was one of the notable events that severely affected many regions, from southern plains to midwest regions of the United States. Talking about the approximate numbers, this winter storm resulted in around 35000 cattle loss. All were frozen to death due to the unbearable cold.
Texas Dairy Farm Explosion: A tragic incident that occurred at a dairy farm in Texas, killing a large number of cows. The incident began with a fire in the engine of a manure vacuum truck, which ultimately exploded, killing around 18000 cows.
December Blizzard: Another event that caused the loss of around 20,000 cows. The main reason was the extreme weather conditions, similar to winter storm Goliath.

2016

How many cows are slaughtered each day in the year 2016? The global cattle industry slaughtered a large number of cows for food consumption. A report or data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, depicts over 300 million cows were killed worldwide in that particular year.

Simplifying this daily will roughly account for 890000 cows being slaughtered every single day. However, remember that the number of cows slaughtered may vary because the stats include the number of killings from natural incidents and accidents.

2017

India, being the world’s largest producer and consumer of beef, actually was on top in cow slaughtering in the year 2017. How many cows were slaughtered each year in 2017? A report from Basic Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Statistics answers this, showing that India single-handedly slaughtered around 3 million cows, which equals 34.10 lakh—this year created a controversy in India regarding the slaughter and sale of capital.

Further, the Indian government banned the sale of the same at animal markets, citing animal welfare and the preservation of cattle. This faced criticism on a national level, but at the Supreme Court, the final authority verdicts were in the government’s favor.

2018

In 2018, more than 300 million cows were slaughtered globally for meat production. This data is from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, which tracks and keeps records of livestock production and slaughter statistics worldwide.

The countries that contributed greatly to the abovementioned count include the United States, Brazil, China, and India. In the year 2018, how many cows are slaughtered each day? The answer is roughly 822,000, but this count is limited to slaughtering because of meat production.

2019

FAO stats show the total number of cows slaughtered globally in 2019 as 324,518,029. So, how many cows are slaughtered each day in 2019? It is around 9 lakhs, which is astonishing. Further, it shows the demand for cows-based products.

Talking about specific countries that make up the count mentioned above. Notable names are Ireland, which slaughtered 345,716 cows, and the United States, which slaughtered around 33.07 million cows.

2020

The answer to how many cows are slaughtered daily in 2020 is approximately 293.2 million. Faunalytics back this data. The count depicts a rise of 2.8% from 2018 but a 2% decrease when compared to the stats of 2019. The countries with the highest number of slaughtered cows in 2020 are China, the United States, and Brazil. The number of slaughtered cows was decreasing in Europe but faced a rise in regions like Oshiana and Asia.

As far as India is concerned, it was again a notable contributor to the global slaughtering of cows in 2020. Talking about numbers, it was 35.8 million. So, how many cows were slaughtered each day in India in 2020? It’s 35,800 cows, which was significant because it marked an 8.67% increase from 1971.

2021

The global stats for 2021 show there were around 937.7 million cows, of which 34.36 million were killed in the United States for food, and in Argentina, it was around 13 million.

So, how many cows are slaughtered each day in 2021? As per the data, in the United States, it was over 90,000 cows per day, and around 35,500 cows per day in Argentina.

2022

The Guardian 2022 analysis depicts that approximately 166,000 cattle died before being slaughtered for consumption. How many cows are slaughtered each day, according to The Guardian stats? Here are the points enlightening on the same:

In the United States, around 34.3 million cattle were slaughtered.
In Brazil, it was around 6.9 million cows, but only for the first quarter of 2022.
Australia slaughtered more than 3 million cows in that particular year.

Despite all the killings and slaughtering, what is surprising is that the global cattle population in 2022 was 940 million, while it was 937.7 million in 2021.

What Number of Animals Are Killed for Food Every Day?

Mentioning the exact numbers for how many cows are slaughtered per year or for any animals is difficult as it varies greatly with region and other factors. However, here is what the latest stats say:

Chicken: Probably the most commonly consumed animal worldwide. Approximately 50 billion chickens are slaughtered for meat annually, which means around 137 million chickens are killed every day.
Cattle: How many cows are slaughtered each day? Data shows at a global level, around 300 million cattle are raised for beef production, which means around 820,000 cows are killed each day for meat.
Pigs: A staple food in many diste; talking about the stats, around 1.5 billion pigs are slaughtered each year, which equals 4 million pigs slaughtered on a daily basis.
Fish: The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations reports that more than 180 million tonnes of fish were produced in 2019, with around 80 million tonnes from capture fisheries and 100 million from aquaculture. Daily, this would be around 1000 tonnes.
Sheep and Goats: Data shows that approximately 600 million sheep and 500 million goats are raised for meat. This means 2 million sheep and 1.4 million goats are being slaughtered daily.
Turkeys: They are a prominent meat in many cultures. Globally, it has been found that around 500 million Turkey are slaughtered for meat each year, which daily is 1.4 million.
Ducks: 3.3 billion ducks are raised for meat annually, which means 9 million ducks are slaughtered each day.
Rabbits: Globally, rabbit meat production is around 1 million tonnes per year, I.e. 2740 tonnes daily.

How Many Animals Are Slaughtered in The United States?

The United States is among the countries where the number of animal slaughtering is significant. Here is the breakdown of the different animals being slaughtered in the United States.

Chickens are the most commonly killed animal for food in the United States. The sentient media reports that over 8 million chickens are slaughtered annually in the US, including both broilers and layers.
Turkey is another prominent animal raised for meat. Statista data shows in 2022, around 210 million Turkeys were produced in the United States, which is 13 million less than what it was in 2020.
The Number of cows killed for food in the US varies greatly. The latest report by Statista shows that around 34.3 million cows are slaughtered in the United States. So, how many cows are slaughtered each day in the United States? It’s roughly around 9 lakh cows.
The Humane Society of the United States data depicts that around 2 million rabbits are slaughtered for meat in the United States each year.
As far as the year 2022 is concerned, 93000 sheep were killed for meat consumption in the United States. However, there was an 8% decrease in goat slaughtering compared to 2021.

Why is the Count of Slaughtered Cow Each Day Decreasing?

The reasons are many, but the most significant one is the rising interest in alternatives to cow-based products. What backs this shift is the concern or awareness of animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and, most importantly, health.

Let’s explore why the alternatives decreasing the count of how many cows are slaughtered each day are growing.

1. Plant-Based Alternative

These are the products derived from plants that copy the taste and texture of traditional meat. The simple answer to why people are shifting to plant-based alternatives is the concern for their health and the environment. Plant-based foods are low in cholesterol and fat and have a less negative impact on the environment.

2. Lab Based Alternative

Lab-grown meat is produced by cultivating animals using different technologies and sciences, eliminating the need to raise and slaughter livestock like cows. People choose this because it tastes similar to traditional meat and doesn’t involve animal slaughtering.

Impact of Cow Slaughtering on The Environment

With the increase in counting of how many cows are slaughtered each day, the concern for the environment is moving towards its peak.

Slaughtering hampers the environment greatly; the below-listed points will enlighten you on the same:

Deforestation: Slaughtering cows or cattle significantly boosts deforestation, especially in regions like the Amazon rainforest. How? Clearing land for pasture leads to the destruction of the ecosystem and, hence, the biodiversity.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: All the livestock, especially the cows, greatly add to greenhouse gas emissions through CH4 release via fermentation and manure. Slaughtering them contributes to global warming.
Water Usage: Before slaughtering cows, they are fed, requiring a large amount of water. This may raise concern for water scarcity, especially in areas with less water.
Waste and Pollution: Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) where cows are commonly raised for meat generate large quantities of manure. This leads to large-scale water pollution if not managed properly, hence deteriorating environments and the aquatic ecosystem.

Conclusion

All in all, the answer to how many cows are slaughtered each day is several thousand and even lakhs. Several data and stats show a precise count, but all those are roundabout figures. Simply because how many cows are slaughtered each day varies from region to region. Further, many factories claim to be vegan but illegally practice slaughtering.

However, what is more concerning is that these figures need to be reduced for the sake of humanity, the welfare of animals, and, most importantly, the environment we live in. Hope the article has provided you with enough information you were seeking.

If you have any queries, comment down below, and we’ll solve them at the earliest. What’s your opinion on cow slaughtering?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Global Average Count for Cow Slaughtering?

The global average of how many cows are slaughtered daily varies with regions and other factors like population size, demand for beef, and cultural practices. As per the latest stats, it’s around 9 lakhs daily.

How Does the Cow Slaughtering Rate Vary with Country?

Cow slaughtering rates vary greatly from country to country. For example, the United States, Brazil, and India usually have the highest slaughtering rate simply because of the wide beef demand. This rate may be low in countries where dairy production is significant.

How Many Cows Are Slaughtered Each Day in The US?

The number of cows slaughtered daily in the United States is over 900,000. However, this count varies greatly for 2018, which was 33 million yearly, and for 2020, it was 2.92 million when calculated annually.

How Many Cows Are Slaughtered Each Day in India?

As of 2023, around 890,000 cattle are slaughtered per day in India. Data shows that the rate of cow slaughtering in India is increasing at an annual rate of 8.67% as cow slaughter in 1971 was 1647, which increased to 35,800 in the year 2020.

What is the Impact of Cow Slaughter on The Environment?

Cow slaughtering has a lot of environmental impacts, which hampers the ecosystem. The most common are greenhouse gas emissions, cutting down trees, and water usage. Adding on the increase in cow slaughtering per day is making it more difficult to mitigate these effects.