Nebraska: The Beef state
Agriculture is the #1 industry in Nebraska and cattle production represents the largest segment of the industry. It's the engine that powers the state’s economy with the beef cattle industry having an unmistakable impact on almost everyone in Nebraska.
nebraska cattle statistics
Nebraska consistently ranks as one of the top cattle producing states in the country.
national cattle statistics
Cattle are raised in every state across the U.S. for consumers all over the world.
Nebraska Is Unique
Cattle feeding is a cornerstone for Nebraska’s economy with the state consistently ranking as one of the top two states for number of cattle on feed. Climate, natural resources, access to quality feed, and feeding efficiency are among the top reasons Nebraska is a premiere location for beef production.
top cow counties in the nation
Nebraska has the top three beef cow counties in the U.S., including the nation’s No. 1 cow county – Cherry County, with nearly 166,000 cows. Custer County is No. 2 (100,000) and Holt County is No. 3 (99,000). Also among the top counties in the nation is Lincoln County at No. 12 (69,000).
More cattle than people
January 2023 figures illustrate that Nebraska continues to have far more cattle than people. With over 6 million cattle in the state, cattle outnumber people by more than 3 to 1!
why so much beef?
Nebraska has a unique mix of natural resources. Cattle turn grass from 24 million acres of rangeland and pasture, more than one half of Nebraska’s land mass, into protein and many other products for humans. The land grazed by cattle allows more people to be fed than would otherwise be possible. More than one billion bushels of corn are produced here each year, 40% of which is fed to livestock in the state. Cattle producing families, who make their living from the land, have a strong incentive to protect their animals and the environment.
Nebraska’s Natural Resources
Nebraska’s farms and ranches utilize 45.2 million acres (18,413,270 hectares) – 91% of the state’s total land area.
Nebraska is fortunate to have aquifers below it. If poured over the surface of the state, the water in those aquifers would have a depth of 37.9 feet.
The state has 96,509 registered, active irrigation wells supplying water to 8.3 million acres of harvested cropland and pasture. Nearly 80,000 miles (38,624 kilometers) of rivers and streams add to Nebraska’s bountiful natural resources.
There are nearly 23 million acres (9,307,807 hectares) of rangeland and pastureland in Nebraska – half of which are in the Sandhills.
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