Small Ruminant Livestock Population Exceeds 60 Million in First Half of Year

September 18, 2026 · Tarım Pusulası

According to TurkStat data, Turkey's small ruminant population increased by 5.1% to 60.8 million in the first half of 2026, while cattle population remained at 17.8 million with a 0.5% increase.

According to the Livestock Statistics data for June 2026 published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), a notable expansion focused on small ruminants was observed in the overall herd size across Turkey. TurkStat data reveals that the total small ruminant livestock population, recorded at 57,874,318 heads in December 2025, grew by 5.1% over the six-month period, reaching 60,815,177 heads by the end of June 2026. The primary driver of this growth was the increase in sheep population; the sheep population rose by 6.0%, from 46,688,813 heads to 49,473,446 heads. During the same period, the goat population increased by 1.4%, rising from 11,185,505 heads to 11,341,731 heads.

In the cattle livestock category, a much more limited growth performance was recorded in the first half of 2026 compared to small ruminants. According to data in the TurkStat bulletin, the total cattle livestock population, which stood at 17,708,985 heads in December 2025, increased by a limited 0.5% to 17,804,510 heads as of June 2026. Cattle, which constitute the main body of the cattle group, increased by 0.5%, from 17,544,200 heads to 17,640,202 heads. In contrast, there was a slight decrease in the buffalo population; the number of buffaloes, which was 164,785 heads in December 2025, declined by 0.2% to 164,508 heads.

Comparing the periods of December 2025 and June 2026, it is evident that almost all numerical growth in the livestock sector was shouldered by small ruminant husbandry. While the cattle livestock population increased by only 95,525 heads during the six-month period, the net increase in the small ruminant livestock population reached 2,940,859 heads. When evaluated by species, the highest proportional increase during the period was in the sheep population at 6.0%. Sheep were followed by goats with a 1.4% increase and cattle with a 0.5% increase. The buffalo population, with a 0.2% decrease, was recorded as the only animal species to decline over the period.

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