Cattle in Arkansas

Arkansas’s beef‑producing families work every day to bring high‑quality, wholesome beef to your table. This page is here to help you learn more about the beef you enjoy, and the family‑owned farms and ranches behind it. With more than 1.5 million cattle in Arkansas, farmers and ranchers play a vital role in caring for both their herds and the land.

Arkansas Cattle Facts

  • Number of Cattle Operations: 20,924
  • Total Cattle Inventory: 1,588,074 
  • Cattle/Calf Production: 521,935,000 pounds 
  • Cattle/Calf Production Value: $824.9 million 
  • Farms with Beef Cows: 19,467  
  • Beef Cow Inventory: 882,184  
  • Farms with Dairy Cows: 75  
  • Dairy Cattle Inventory: 10,679  
  • National Ranking – Beef Cow Production: 11th 
  • National Ranking – Cattle/Calf Production: 24th  
  • Export Value of Arkansas Beef and Beef Products: $94.1 million 
  • Top Export Markets: Mexico, Canada, Japan
Sources: 2025 Arkansas Agriculture Profile, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture; 2022 Census of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Global Agricultural Trade System, U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service