Alabama Beef Cattle Facts

Beef cattle production ranks second behind broilers in cash receipts among Alabama farm commodities. Alabama cattle producers sold $501 million worth of cattle and calves last year. Cattle are produced in every county and cattle production represents a $2.4 billion industry in Alabama. The state’s climate and land are ideally suited for growing forages and raising cattle.

Cattle Numbers
As of January 2026, there were 1,200,000 head of cattle and calves on Alabama farms according to figures released by the Alabama Agriculture Statistics Service, ranking Alabama as 17th in beef cattle numbers nationwide.

Nationally, there are 94.2 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of July 24, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Of the 94.2 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.1 million.

The 2026 U.S. calf crop in the United States was estimated at 32.5 million head, down 2% from the previous year's calf crop, while all cattle on feed were at 13.2 million head, up 2 percent from 2025.

Value of Cattle Inventory & Hay Crops
The total value of cattle on Alabama farms in 2026 was $2.4 billion. The value per head on January 1 was $1,980.

Alabama cattle depend on hay as a major winter feed source and cattlemen produce a lot of hay each year. In 2026 1.976 million tons of hay was harvested from 760,000 acres. The total value of the hay crop was $213.4 million.

Beef Demand Still Strong
Beef demand remains strong both domestically and internationally. The top five importers are Japan, South Korea, China, Mexico and Canada. The total export value of U.S. beef and beef products in 2023 was $9.33 billion.

17th In Number of Beef Cattle
Inventory of all cattle and calves in the United States, as of July 1, 2026, totaled 94.2 million head, up slightly from 94.0 million in July 2025. The state ranks 17th among all states in beef cow numbers. USDA figures show there were 17,972 farms in Alabama with beef cows that have calved.

Alabama cattle producers primarily have cow-calf farms each year the calf crop is sold and shipped to stocker programs in the Midwest or directly feedlots for finishing A statewide network of 22 livestock auctions provide easy access markets to sell cattle.

2023-2024 Alabama County Estimates: Cattle Inventory

Forage Number One Resource
Producers have the climate needed to excel in forage production. Rainfall averages exceeding 55 inches and a mild climate, insures nearly year-round grazing. The wide variety of perennial forages coupled with cool season grasses and clovers offer cattlemen the opportunity to wean heavy calves and also to carry these calves past weaning in a stocker program.

Dekalb County Leads in Cattle #s
According to USDA data, the top five cattle producing Alabama counties as of May 2024 are: 1. Dekalb County 54,000 head; 2. Cullman County 43,500 head; 3. Chambers County 37,500 head; 4. Marshall County 37,000 head; 5. Montgomery County 37,000 head. For more details about beef cattle statistics in Alabama, visit the Alabama Agricultural Statistics Service website.

Alabama Has Top Purebred Producers
Alabama has some of the top purebred herds in the country. These outstanding seedstock producers supply a large selection of outstanding bulls annually. All of the major breeds are represented including Angus, Beefmaster, Brangus, Charolais, ChiAngus, Gelbveih, Hereford, Limousin, Red Angus, Santa Gertrudis, Senepol, and Simmental.

ACA Membership Strong
The 2025 ACA membership was 10,128 with 30 counties exceeding their 2024 membership. Franklin County was #1 with 463 members followed by Pike County with 331 members. These two counties have set the standard for recruiting members and have a great record of increasing membership each year. Completing the top five are: Cullman with 310 members, Limestone with 284 members, and Clay with 271 members.

Headquarters on Capitol Hill Houses “The MOOseum”
The organization is headquarters in a beautiful building located on Capitol Hill in downtown Montgomery. The $2 million facility includes a one-of-a-kind children’s educational center which tells the story of the beef cattle industry in the state. An estimated 25,000 visitors tour The MOOseum each year learning about the state’s cattle industry and that beef is a safe, wholesome and nutritious protein for families to enjoy.

In addition, the building has a much in demand meeting room. The ACA, Alabama Junior Cattlemen's Association, Alabama Cattlemen's Foundation, Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame and Southeastern Livestock Exposition are headquartered in the Cattlemen’s Building.

Alabama Beef Cattle Facts

Economic Impact of Beef Cattle in Alabama