Türkiye emerged as a key player in animal production in 2023, ranking first in the number of ovine and second in bovines among European countries, according to data compiled by Anadolu from Eurostat and TurkStat figures.
The total number of cattle in EU countries was 74.8 million in 2022 but fell to 73.8 million in 2023.
Türkiye's total ovine numbers reached 52.6 million, with 42 million sheep in 2023, said the Turkish statistical authority Turkstat, tripling its closest rival, Spain.
Within the EU, Spain ranked first, with 13.5 million, but second to Türkiye, followed by Romania with 10.1 million, Greece with 7.2 million, France with 6.5 million, Italy with 6.4 million, Ireland with 3.9 million and Portugal with 2.1 million, according to data from Eurostat.
According to Turkstat, Türkiye registered 16.5 million cattle during the same period, placing second and outpacing all European Union (EU) countries except France.
France had the most cattle in the EU, with 16.8 million, followed by Germany (10.8 million), Ireland (6.5 million), Poland (6.4 million), Spain (6.2 million), Italy (5.9 million), and the Netherlands (3.7 million).
In terms of goat numbers, Türkiye has once again topped the list, with 10.3 million, according to Turkstat, outnumbering all EU countries and more than tripling its closest rival Greece.
In the EU, Greece ranked first with 2.8 million, followed by Spain (2.2 million), Romania (1.3 million), France (1.2 million), Italy (980,000), and the Netherlands (561,000).
