Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announces: Number of sheep in Turkey has exceeded 49 million
As of June 2026, the number of cattle increased by 0.5 percent to reach 17 million 804 thousand 510. During the same period, while a 0.5 percent increase was recorded in the cattle population, the number of water buffalo decreased by 0.2 percent to 164 thousand 508.
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According to the 'Livestock Statistics' published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the number of ovine livestock in Turkey increased by 5.1 percent compared to the end of 2025, reaching 60 million 815 thousand.
While a 0.5 percent increase was observed in the number of bovine livestock during the six-month period, a decrease was recorded in the number of water buffalo.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has published the 'Livestock Statistics' bulletin for the June 2026 period. According to the data, the number of ovine livestock across Turkey reached 60 million 815 thousand 177, an increase of 5.1 percent from the level of 57 million 874 thousand 318 in December 2025.
The rise in the sheep population accounted for the largest share of this increase. The number of sheep increased by 6 percent in the six-month period, rising from 46 million 688 thousand 813 to 49 million 473 thousand 446, while the number of goats increased by 1.4 percent from 11 million 185 thousand 505 to 11 million 341 thousand 731.
0.5 percent increase in bovine livestock
A limited increase was also recorded in the bovine livestock population during the same period. The number of bovine livestock, which was 17 million 708 thousand 985 at the end of 2025, increased by 0.5 percent as of June 2026 to reach 17 million 804 thousand 510.
While the number of cattle in the bovine category was recorded as 17 million 640 thousand 2 with a 0.5 percent increase, a 0.2 percent decrease was observed in the number of water buffalo, with the figure falling to 164 thousand 508.