Gitnux/Report 2026

Animal Production Industry Statistics

The U.S. animal and animal-product cash receipts were forecast at $287.3 billion in 2026, explore the growth path, company financials and execution trends shaping animal production.
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Animal Production Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

An editor sets the topic, the inclusion criteria, and the evaluation framework before research starts.

02Source Research

AI search agents locate sources and extract each figure together with the document it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The animal production industry at a glance

U.S. animal and animal-product cash receipts are forecast at $287.3 billion in 2026, while global meat production reached 375 million tonnes in 2025 amid continued poultry-led growth.

$287.3B[3]
U.S. animal receipts, 2026F
375M tonnes[1]
Global meat production, 2025
406,100[20]
U.S. industry employment, 2025
12%[1]
Global meat growth to 2035
Market size
U.S. animal and animal-product cash receipts are forecast at $287.3 billion in 2026, down 5.4% from 2025. Globally, meat production reached 375 million tonnes carcass-weight equivalent in 2025.[3][1]
Forecast & CAGR
Global meat production is projected to increase by 12% over 2026–2035, equivalent to approximately 43 million tonnes. Poultry is expected to account for roughly two-thirds of the increase, implying an approximate 1.2% compound annual growth rate for total production over the period.[1]
Market share & regions
More than half of the projected global increase in meat production through 2035 is expected to come from Asia. Latin America is expected to remain an important and expanding exporting region, while Africa accounts for about 6% of global meat production and 22% of global sheep-meat production.[1]
Segmentation
The global meat segment is primarily divided into poultry, pig meat, bovine meat and sheep meat. OECD-FAO projects consumption growth of about 21% for poultry, 16% for sheep meat, 13% for beef and 5% for pig meat by 2034.[1]
Key players & concentration
The available official sources reviewed do not provide a current, comparable global concentration ratio for animal production. In the United States, animal production and aquaculture employed 406,100 people in 2025 and generated $210.7 billion of output, with output projected at $240.4 billion by 2035.[20]
Pricing
The FAO International Meat Price Index rose 5% in 2025, although price movements differed by meat type. In the United States, 2026 animal-product receipts are forecast to fall 5.4% because of lower egg and milk prices, partly offset by higher cattle prices.[1][3]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Production growth is being supported by productivity gains, rising incomes, urbanisation and investment in Asia. The main challenges include highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, antimicrobial resistance and tighter biosecurity requirements; U.S. HPAI affected more than 179 million birds across 1,741 premises between December 2021 and September 2025.[1][51]
Consumer behavior & competition
Consumers are increasingly shifting from beef and pork toward poultry, while higher-income consumers are paying more attention to animal welfare, environmental and health attributes. OECD-FAO projects global poultry consumption to grow about 21% by 2034, compared with 13% for beef and 5% for pig meat.[1]
Regulation
USDA APHIS issued a federal order on December 6, 2024 requiring additional testing and reporting for H5N1 in livestock and milk. APHIS also reports that its HPAI response includes voluntary biosecurity assessments, audits for affected or controlled operations and a $100 million investment in vaccine, therapeutic and research initiatives.[52]
Latest news
The latest official outlook forecasts U.S. animal and animal-product cash receipts at $287.3 billion in 2026, a $16.4 billion decline from 2025. The decline is expected to be led by chicken eggs, whose receipts are forecast to fall $20.9 billion, or 66.3%, while cattle and calf receipts are projected to rise $7.0 billion, or 5.2%.[3]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Animal Production Industry

The leading companies in the animal production industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

JBS stands out for integrated beef, poultry and pork protein because it reported an operating margin of 5.2% with revenue growth of 11.7%, while Marfrig leads in beef, hamburger and multiprotein production since it reported a 3.4% operating margin with 13.74% revenue growth.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in integrated beef and poultry

    JBS

    BR

    Ranked #1 · 9.1 · Integrated beef and poultry

    Why we picked it: Its integrated beef, poultry and pork protein segment is reflected in a 5.2% operating margin and 11.7% revenue growth.

    See in ranking ↓Visit jbs.com.br ↗

  2. Leader in atlantic salmon farming

    Mowi

    NO

    Ranked #3 · 8.9 · Atlantic salmon farming

    Why we picked it: Integrated Atlantic salmon farming shows in 559,000 tonnes harvested in 2025 and a 12.7% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit mowi.com ↗

  3. Leader in farmer-owned dairy

    Arla Foods

    DK

    Ranked #4 · 8.8 · Farmer-owned dairy

    Why we picked it: Farmer-owned dairy processing is backed by 14.3 billion kilograms of milk collected in 2025.

    See in ranking ↓Visit arla.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the animal production industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

JBS

Integrated beef and poultry · BR

9.1
2

Marfrig

Integrated beef and poultry · BR

8.9
3

Mowi

Atlantic salmon farming · NO

8.9
4

Arla Foods

Farmer-owned dairy · DK

8.8
5

MHP

Integrated poultry · UA

8.8
6

Muyuan Foods

Large-scale swine production and processing · CN

8.5
7

Charoen Pokphand Foods

Integrated poultry, swine and aquaculture · TH

8.3
8

Tyson Foods

Integrated beef, pork, chicken and prepared foods · US

8.3
9

Danish Crown

Farmer-owned pork and beef production · DK

7.6
10

Wens Foodstuff Group

Integrated swine and poultry production · CN

7.3

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the animal production industry. In Animal Production Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/animal-production-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

EU poultrymeat production by poultry type

Chicken holds the largest share at 87%.

Chicken87%
Turkey5%
Duck4%
Other poultry4%
source-verifiedec.europa.eu

04 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Technology adoption shows up in precision systems and automation, with 48% of surveyed U.S. farmers reporting AI use in 2026 and 19% of large-scale U.S. milk farms using robotic milking in 2023.

AI in the animal production industry

  • 47.9% of Spanish livestock farms reported using some AI system in 2022, while 52.1% reported no AI use.[1]
  • 21.0% of Spanish livestock farms used AI to analyze farm-generated data in 2022.[1]
  • 48% of surveyed U.S. farmers reported using AI on their farms in 2026, with livestock operators among the strongest adopters.[2]
  • 24.9% of Spanish livestock farms used AI-enabled automatic environmental control in 2022.[1]

Automation in the animal production industry

  • 19% of large-scale U.S. farms producing milk had adopted robotic milking in 2023.[3]
  • 70% of surveyed Irish pasture-based dairy farms used automatic in-parlour feeders in 2024.[4]
  • 13% of U.S. dairy farms with 150–499 cows used robotic milking in 2021.[3]
  • 6% of U.S. milk production came from robotic milking systems in 2021, up from 4% in 2016.[3]
  • 73.4% of Spanish livestock farms reported at least one automated activity in 2022.[1]
  • 16% of European dairy farms used robotic milking in the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2023, the highest rates reported in the comparison.[5]

Digital Transformation in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across the EU agri-food industrial ecosystem, 20% of companies had a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[6]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 51.2% had very low digital intensity in 2023, down from 55.1% in 2021.[6]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 3.4% had very high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 2.1% in 2021.[6]
  • In the United States, 61% of farmers reported adopting digital agronomy technologies in 2024.[7]
  • Among EU food-manufacturing enterprises, 15.4% had high digital intensity in 2023, compared with 13.0% in 2021.[6]

Technology Adoption in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • In Germany, 85.5% of surveyed farms used at least one digital technology in 2024–2025.[1]
  • Across EU farms with utilised agricultural area, about 18% used some form of precision-farming technology or practice in 2023.[1]
  • Across EU farms, 43% had internet access, 11% used farm-management information systems, and 7% used robotics in 2023.[1]
  • In Czechia, 30% of crop-production farmers used at least one precision-agriculture technology in 2023.[1]
  • In Canada, 84% of field-crop operations used GPS equipment in 2021.[1]
  • In Chile, 12% of agricultural production units reported using a technological tool such as mobile applications, drones, or sensors in 2021.[1]

Cloud Computing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 26% used cloud computing in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU businesses, 45% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023.[8]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 37% used cloud computing in 2024, up from 26% in 2023.[6]
  • Among EU large businesses, 78% purchased cloud-computing services in 2023, compared with 44% of SMEs.[8]

Big Data in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 13% used big-data technologies in 2024, compared with 17% in 2023.[6]
  • In Germany, 5.0% of surveyed farms used artificial-intelligence or big-data technologies in 2024–2025.[1]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 17% used big-data technologies in 2023.[6]
  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 307 startups focused on artificial intelligence and big data were formed between 2015 and 2023.[6]

IoT in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across EU agri-food businesses, 24% used Internet of Things technologies in 2024, up from 10% in 2023.[6]

05 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data governance and quality remain central constraints, with 49% of manufacturers rating operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024 and 44% reporting AI projects failed due to poor data quality in 2025.

Data analytics in the animal production industry

  • Wearable livestock technologies were used by 1% of small U.S. farms with livestock commodity sales, based on data through December 2023.[9]
  • Robotic milking was used by 19% of large-scale U.S. farms producing milk, based on data through December 2023.[9]
  • Wearable livestock technologies were used by 12% of large-scale U.S. farms with livestock commodity sales, based on data through December 2023.[9]
  • Germany reported that 5.0% of surveyed farms used AI or big-data technologies in 2024–2025; the survey included livestock and mixed farms.[1]

Data Quality in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 41% of manufacturers said they distrusted the data used for supply-chain operations in 2025, reflecting persistent data-quality concerns in production and procurement.[10]
  • 49% of manufacturing respondents rated their operational data as having low AI readiness in 2024, meaning it was insufficiently labeled, contextualized, governed or accessible.[11]
  • 42% of manufacturers reported having a process to verify operational data accuracy or quality in 2025, indicating that most lacked a formal validation process.[11]
  • 44% of manufacturers reported that AI projects had failed because of poor data quality in 2025, according to a survey of manufacturing organizations.[10]
  • 30% of manufacturing respondents identified poor-quality data as one of their top three challenges when working with AI-related data in 2024.[11]

Data Governance in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 61% of supply-management organizations reported having a dedicated data-governance function in 2024, while 90% agreed that data governance was necessary.[12]
  • 6% of food and beverage leaders reported fully integrated digital systems in 2025, despite 82% saying technology adoption was a strategic priority.[13]
  • 61% of manufacturers reported having a corporate-wide governance plan, strategy or formal guidelines for how data is collected, organized, accessed and used in 2024.[11]
  • 69% of food and beverage companies still relied on spreadsheets and email for core operations in 2025, limiting standardized access and control of business data.[13]
  • 15% of manufacturers said their data strategy was entirely aligned with their overall business strategy in 2024, while 31% said it was very closely aligned.[11]
  • 40% of food and beverage professionals worldwide identified disconnected systems and data as their biggest barrier to moving faster in 2026.[13]

KPIs in the animal production industry

  • Per-capita agrifood-system emissions were 2.0 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, 6% below the 2001 level.[14]
  • FAOSTAT’s livestock-emissions dataset covers 196 countries and 10 territories and reports annual emissions from enteric fermentation, manure on pastures, manure management and manure applied to soils.[15]
  • The global emissions intensity of agricultural production was 1.9 kilograms of CO2 equivalent per international dollar in 2023, down 25% from 2001.[14]

06 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Segment mix and portfolio scale matter, with OECD-FAO consumption projections for poultry up about 21% by 2034 compared with 13% for beef and 5% for pig meat.

Growth in the animal production industry

  • 6% was Zoetis organic operational revenue growth in 2025 worldwide.[16]
  • 41.1% of EU agricultural output value came from animals and animal products in 2024, worth €218.8 billion.[8]
  • 7% was Zoetis organic operational adjusted-net-income growth in 2025 worldwide.[16]
  • 20% was Pilgrim’s Pride U.S. Prepared Foods net-sales growth in 2025 compared with 2024.[16]

Differentiation in the animal production industry

  • 7 major product categories were offered by Zoetis in 2025, including vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, anti-infectives and pain and sedation.[16]
  • 8 core species were covered by Zoetis’s animal-health portfolio in 2025: dogs, cats, horses, cattle, swine, poultry, fish and sheep.[16]
  • $434 million was Zoetis animal-health diagnostics revenue in 2025, differentiating its portfolio beyond medicines and vaccines.[16]
  • $286 million was Zoetis fish revenue in 2025, representing a distinct livestock-market specialization.[16]

Mergers and acquisitions in the animal production industry

  • $111 million was Zoetis’s upfront cash consideration for acquiring PetMedix in 2023, excluding $19 million of cash acquired.[16]
  • 3 major interindustry acquisitions were identified for JBS in USDA’s review: Swift, Cargill’s pork-packing business and Pilgrim’s Pride.[3]
  • 100% of PetMedix’s issued share capital was acquired by Zoetis in 2023.[16]
  • $100 million was the maximum contingent consideration linked to Zoetis’s 2023 PetMedix acquisition milestones.[16]

Strategic partnerships in the animal production industry

  • Tyson Foods held joint-venture interests in non-consolidated poultry businesses in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and China in fiscal 2025.[16]
  • 3 local markets—Brazil, the United Kingdom and Canada—received Zoetis livestock-product regulatory approvals highlighted for 2024.[16]
  • Nearly 600 Performance of Veterinary Services activities had been conducted by WOAH by 2024, supporting collaboration among countries and animal-health stakeholders.[17]

07 Statistics

People & Workforce

Workforce signals vary by livestock type, with New Zealand dairy farm staff retention at 38% versus 54% in poultry and 38% in pig farming.

Employee retention in the animal production industry

  • Under 1% annual employee turnover was reported by one Wisconsin dairy operation after improving employee housing and workplace conditions.[18]
  • 38% of surveyed New Zealand dairy farms reported staff retention, compared with 54% in poultry, 38% in pig farming and 29% in other primary industries.[19]

Remote Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across U.S. crop and animal production, 14.4% of workers worked remotely in 2021, compared with 14.7% in 2019 and 15.4% in 2020.[20]
  • Across U.S. agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, about 12% of workers worked remotely during October 2023–September 2024, including hybrid and fully remote work.[21]
  • Across U.S. accommodation and food services, 4.8% of workers worked remotely in 2021, up from 1.9% in 2019 and 5.3% in 2020.[20]
  • Across U.S. agriculture and food employers, 35% offered some type of remote-work arrangement in 2024, according to AgCareers’ industry hiring report.[22]

Hybrid Work in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • 84% of Australian agribusiness organisations planned no change to existing flexible or hybrid work arrangements in 2026.[23]
  • Across employers discussed in a food-industry hybrid-work survey, about 90% had adopted some form of hybrid work, although the figure was not limited to agriculture and food production.[24]
  • 13% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals preferred full-time on-site work in 2024.[25]
  • 21% of Australian FMCG and agribusiness professionals reported working fully remotely in 2024.[25]
  • Among science-of-food professionals surveyed globally in 2024, respondents averaged 2.1 work-at-home days per week.[24]

Employee Engagement in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • At Europe Snacks, a multinational food manufacturer, employee engagement reached 79% across its international workforce and 88% in its UK business after a structured listening program.[26]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 60.9% on enablement in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[26]
  • Employees in manufacture, distribution and storage organizations scored 59.3% on leadership in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[26]
  • In the agriculture industry, employees averaged 7.68 out of 10 for engagement and an eNPS of +5 in CultureMonkey’s 2026 benchmark.[27]
  • Manufacture, distribution and storage organizations recorded an average employee-engagement score of 72.9% in People Insight’s global benchmark data.[26]

DEI in the animal production industry

  • Only 40% of animal-welfare professionals surveyed in 2024 believed their staff reflected their community’s diversity.[28]
  • 25.7% of U.S. animal-production and aquaculture workers and owners were female in 2025.[29]
  • 14.6% of U.S. animal-production and aquaculture workers and owners were Hispanic or Latino in 2025.[29]
  • 19.6% of animal-production and aquaculture workers and owners in Gulf Coast states were Hispanic or Latino in 2025.[29]
  • 2.8% of U.S. animal-production and aquaculture workers and owners were Black or African American in 2025.[29]

Change Management in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among consumer packaged goods executives surveyed, 54% said resources dedicated to change programs had increased during the previous 12 months.[30]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 40% reported changing a process as a structural change.[31]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 53% reported conducting safety-related training as a structural change.[31]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 37% reported expansions, renovations or added capacity as structural changes.[31]
  • Among food and beverage processors surveyed in 2020, 31% reported changing elements of their supply chain as a structural change.[31]

08 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Demand shifts are measurable, including 70% of U.S. consumers considering how food is raised and OECD-FAO projections that poultry consumption grows about 21% by 2034.

Marketing in the animal production industry

  • 9 in 10 U.S. meat shoppers spend extra on meat for special occasions such as holidays, celebrations and entertaining.[32]
  • 70% of U.S. consumers consider how food is raised when selecting a protein-based meal.[33]
  • 86% of U.S. consumers always or often consider taste when choosing a protein for home meals.[33]
  • 87% of U.S. home dinners include meat or poultry, according to the 2024 Power of Meat study.[32]

Digital marketing in the animal production industry

  • 52% of U.S. consumers use recipes at least weekly, with 60% attracted to recipes featuring appealing imagery.[33]
  • 67% of U.S. consumers ordered groceries online in 2020, compared with 59% in 2024, according to the Consumer Beef Tracker.[33]
  • 65% of surveyed farmers use social media for business, supporting digital engagement with livestock producers.[34]
  • 24% of U.S. Gen Z and Millennial meat shoppers use artificial-intelligence tools for meal inspiration, compared with 10% of Gen X and 4% of Boomers.[32]

Branding in the animal production industry

  • The FSIS survey estimated a 4.2% or $0.16-per-pound stated premium for multi-country origin claims referring to the United States and other countries.[35]
  • 83% of U.S. meat shoppers consider at least one “better-for” attribute when buying meat.[32]
  • 56% of U.S. survey participants interpreted the “Product of USA” meat label as referring to production in the United States, according to an FSIS consumer survey.[35]

Social media in the animal production industry

  • 31% of U.S. consumers prefer social media for learning about animal treatment in meat, egg and dairy products.[36]
  • 75% of surveyed farmers used WhatsApp daily in 2024, while 62% used Facebook daily and 37% used Instagram daily.[34]
  • 42% of U.S. consumers who had recently heard about plant-based meat recalled Facebook as a source, followed by YouTube at 25%.[37]
  • 55% of U.K. Gen Z consumers use TikTok for food information, 12 percentage points above the general population.[38]

Influencer Marketing in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • Food and drink influencer content involved 78,800 profiles globally in 2023, based on Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer content generated 392 billion impressions globally in 2023.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer content produced an estimated $122 billion in earned media value globally in 2023.[39]
  • 11.5 million influencer posts covered food and drink globally in 2023, according to Sprout Social’s benchmark dataset.[39]
  • Food and drink influencer posts achieved a 1.19% average engagement rate globally in 2023.[39]

09 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Execution constraints connect to consolidation and costs, with 46% of EU farms having livestock in 2023 down from 54% in 2010 and natural-capital costs estimated at $2,655 per tonne for poultry.

Process optimization in the animal production industry

  • The average U.S. dairy farm covered total economic costs in only 4 years during 2000–2024.[3]
  • U.S. dairy farms milking cows three or more times per day accounted for a greater share of milk output in 2024 than in earlier years.[3]
  • U.S. dairy farms using computerized feeding or milking systems represented a larger share of milk output in 2024 than in earlier survey years.[3]

Operational efficiency in the animal production industry

  • U.S. dairy farms covered feed costs in every year from 2000 through 2024, according to USDA’s dairy-farm cost analysis.[3]
  • U.S. dairy farms covered operating costs in most years from 2000 through 2024.[3]
  • The Netherlands and Malta had the EU’s highest livestock densities in 2023, at 3.3 livestock units per hectare.[8]
  • 46% of EU farms had livestock in 2023, down from 54% in 2010, indicating structural concentration in animal production.[8]

Quality management in the animal production industry

  • Only 26% of U.S. consumers actively altered their shopping behavior based on sustainability claims, despite 70% considering how food is raised.[33]
  • The EU’s average livestock density was 0.7 livestock units per hectare of utilised agricultural area in 2023.[8]
  • Animal-welfare concerns were the primary issue for 27% of U.S. consumers when considering how cattle are raised.[33]

Supply chain in the animal production industry

  • Supply-chain tier-one natural-capital costs were estimated at $5,126 per tonne for beef cattle production.[14]
  • The total natural-capital cost of poultry production was estimated at $2,655 per tonne, including direct and supply-chain costs.[14]
  • The total natural-capital cost of pork production was estimated at $5,918 per tonne, including direct and supply-chain costs.[14]
  • The direct operational natural-capital cost of beef cattle production was estimated at $25,655 per tonne in the FAO livestock assessment.[14]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the agriculture and food production sector (sector benchmark)

  • About 12% of firms in the 11-country World Bank Firm-level Adoption of Technology sample outsourced at least one food-processing function, compared with about 18% in apparel.[40]
  • 49% of U.S. growers surveyed outsourced at least some farm work to third-party service providers in 2022, with spraying services the most commonly outsourced activity.[41]
  • 85% of Canadian food and beverage companies processed or manufactured products internally in 2020, while 13% both produced internally and outsourced production.[42]
  • 2% of Canadian food and beverage companies outsourced production entirely to third-party manufacturers in 2020.[42]
  • 66% of Queensland food-processing businesses engaged in contract manufacturing to some extent in 2010, including contracting work in or out.[43]

10 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Price volatility feeds into margins and planning, with U.S. feed expenses projected at $65.6 billion in 2026 and EU live-pig prices rising 25.3% in 2022 and 22.8% in 2023.

Pricing strategy in the animal production industry

  • EU live-pig prices rose 25.3% in 2022 and 22.8% in 2023, illustrating substantial livestock-price volatility.[8]
  • 9 in 10 U.S. meat shoppers spend extra for meat during special occasions, providing a premium-pricing opportunity for occasion-based products.[32]
  • EU live-sheep and goat prices rose 6.3% in 2025.[8]
  • EU live-cattle prices rose 27.8% in 2025, the largest annual increase reported for the livestock categories covered by Eurostat.[8]

Cost reduction in the animal production industry

  • U.S. feed expenses were projected at $65.6 billion in 2026, down 6.8% from 2025.[3]
  • U.S. beef cow-calf farms with larger herds had lower costs per cow than smaller operations, based on USDA’s 2018 survey analysis.[3]
  • U.S. livestock and poultry purchases were projected at $66.3 billion in 2026, up 9.7% from 2025.[3]
  • U.S. cash labor expenses were projected at $53.9 billion in 2026, up 2.2% from 2025.[3]

Profitability in the animal production industry

  • Average U.S. net cash farm income for dairy-specialized farm businesses was forecast at $477,500 per farm in 2026, down 12% from 2025.[3]
  • Average U.S. net cash farm income for cattle-and-calf-specialized farm businesses was forecast at $50,300 per farm in 2026, unchanged from 2025.[3]
  • Average U.S. net cash farm income for hog-specialized farm businesses was forecast at $395,800 per farm in 2026, down 10% from 2025.[3]
  • Average U.S. net cash farm income for poultry-and-egg-specialized farm businesses was forecast at negative $3,400 per farm in 2026, down 102.3% from 2025.[3]

Financial planning in the animal production industry

  • U.S. farm businesses in the Northern Great Plains were forecast to have average net cash farm income of $217,000 per farm in 2026, up 30% from 2025.[3]
  • Average U.S. net cash farm income for farm businesses was forecast at $121,700 per farm in 2026, up 7.1% from 2025.[3]
  • U.S. farm businesses specializing in poultry and eggs were forecast to experience a $148,600 per-farm decline in average net cash income in 2026.[3]
  • Commercial and intermediate U.S. farm businesses represented 49.8% of farms and contributed more than 90% of production value, according to USDA’s 2025 farm data.[3]

11 Statistics

Product & Service

Animal-health R&D scale remains a differentiator, with Zoetis reporting $434 million in animal-health diagnostics revenue in 2025 and maintaining approximately 300 product lines across eight animal species.

Product development in the animal production industry

  • Zoetis maintained approximately 300 product lines across eight animal species as of December 31, 2025.[44]
  • Zoetis reported 90 therapeutic targets and 15 therapeutic areas in its R&D portfolio as of December 31, 2025.[44]
  • Approximately 1,700 R&D colleagues worked at Zoetis worldwide as of December 31, 2025.[44]
  • Zoetis had invested $6 billion in research and development since 2013 as of December 31, 2025.[44]

Product lifecycle in the animal production industry

  • Zoetis had 18 products generating at least $100 million in revenue during 2025.[44]
  • Zoetis introduced more than 2,000 new products and lifecycle innovations during the 13 years ending December 31, 2025.[44]

Value proposition in the animal production industry

  • Terrestrial animal-source foods supplied an average of 33% of global protein, with regional shares exceeding 50% in Northern and South America, most of Europe, and Australia and New Zealand.[14]
  • Ruminants produced 26% of global annual meat output, while monogastric livestock such as chickens produced 74%.[14]
  • Cattle supplied 81% of global milk production.[14]
  • Livestock production systems contributed approximately 40% of global agricultural GDP, equivalent to an estimated $1.8 trillion.[14]

12 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Livestock’s emissions weight remains a reference point, with livestock emissions reaching 4.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023 and cattle producing around 3.8 gigatonnes annually.

Sustainability in the animal production industry

  • Grazing systems contributed 12%, pig production systems 19%, and feedlots 3% of the assessed livestock-system sustainability contribution.[14]
  • Livestock emissions reached 4.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, making livestock the largest single component of agrifood-system emissions.[14]
  • Livestock production systems contributed 12% of global anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions.[14]
  • Farm-gate emissions from crop and livestock production reached 8.1 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, representing 49% of agrifood-system emissions.[14]

ESG in the animal production industry

  • Asia produced 7.1 gigatonnes of agrifood-system emissions in 2023, the largest regional total.[14]
  • Europe’s agrifood-system emissions declined 6% between 2001 and 2023, while Asia’s increased 53%.[14]
  • Global agrifood-system emissions totaled 16.5 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023, equal to 32% of total anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions.[14]

Carbon footprint in the animal production industry

  • Cattle produced around 3.8 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, representing approximately 62% of livestock emissions in the cited global assessment.[45]
  • Cattle accounted for approximately 75% of global enteric-methane emissions.[14]
  • Global livestock emissions reached 4.3 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023.[14]
  • Livestock emissions increased 17% between 2001 and 2023, reaching 8.1 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent for farm-gate crop and livestock emissions combined.[14]

14 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Cross-border supply remains material, with €9.7 billion as the EU’s animal-products trade surplus in 2025 and more than half of projected global meat growth expected to come from Asia through 2035.

Globalization in the animal production industry

  • 21% of EU animal-product imports in 2025 originated in Norway, the largest source country.[8]
  • €9.7 billion was the European Union’s animal-products trade surplus in 2025.[8]
  • 24% of EU animal-product exports in 2025 went to the United Kingdom, the largest destination.[8]
  • 140 countries and regions were served by Tyson Foods through product sales in fiscal 2025.[16]

Cultural adaptation in the animal production industry

  • 3 regions—United States, United Kingdom and Europe, and Mexico—comprised Pilgrim’s Pride’s principal customer markets in 2025, alongside more than 120 other countries.[16]
  • 4 livestock species—cattle, swine, poultry and fish—generated Zoetis livestock revenue across global markets in 2025.[16]
  • More than 100 geographic product expansions were completed by Zoetis in 2024 to address local market needs.[16]
  • 15 major international markets were identified by Tyson Foods, including China, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, in fiscal 2025.[16]

Supplier management in the animal production industry

  • 24% of Patterson Animal Health’s cost of sales came from its single largest supplier in fiscal 2024.[50]
  • 66% of Patterson Animal Health’s cost of sales came from its 10 largest manufacturers in fiscal 2024.[50]

Stakeholder management in the animal production industry

  • 64% of WOAH Members reported challenges engaging producers and stakeholders in the 2026 global assessment.[17]
  • 75% of WOAH Veterinary Services had dedicated stakeholder communication capacity in the 2026 global assessment.[17]
  • 93% of surveyed WOAH Members reported that Performance of Veterinary Services recommendations helped them take concrete action to improve Veterinary Services.[17]
  • 93% of WOAH Members improved or maintained emergency-funding capacity in the latest assessment.[17]

Distribution channels in the animal production industry

  • $2.764 billion was Zoetis livestock revenue in 2025, spanning cattle, swine, poultry, fish, sheep and other livestock products sold through veterinarians, producers, distributors and retailers.[16]
  • 16% of Zoetis total revenue came from its largest U.S. veterinary-distributor customer in 2025.[16]
  • Over 120 countries, in addition to the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Mexico, were served by Pilgrim’s Pride in 2025.[16]
  • 9 customer-channel categories were listed by Tyson Foods, including grocery retailers, wholesalers, meat distributors, warehouse clubs, restaurants, export companies and domestic distributors, in fiscal 2025.[16]

Key questions about the animal production industry

What is the U.S. market size for animal and animal-product cash receipts in 2026?
U.S. animal and animal-product cash receipts are forecast at $287.3 billion in 2026.
How fast is global meat production expected to grow through 2035?
Global meat production is projected to increase by 12% over 2026–2035, equivalent to approximately 43 million tonnes.
Which companies lead the animal production industry?
JBS stands out for integrated beef, poultry and pork protein because it reported an operating margin of 5.2% with revenue growth of 11.7%, while Marfrig leads in beef, hamburger and multiprotein production since it reported a 3.4% operating margin with 13.74% revenue growth.
What technology shifts are showing up in livestock operations?
In 2022, 47.9% of Spanish livestock farms reported using some AI system, while 48% reported AI-enabled automatic environmental control. In 2026, 48% of surveyed U.S. farmers reported using AI on their farms.
How concentrated is animal production in the EU versus the U.S.?
In the EU, 46% of farms had livestock in 2023, down from 54% in 2010, indicating structural concentration. The available official sources reviewed do not provide a current, comparable global concentration ratio for animal production.
What disease and compliance factors are driving costs?
Highly pathogenic avian influenza and African swine fever raise biosecurity and testing costs. USDA APHIS issued a federal order on December 6, 2024 requiring additional testing and reporting for H5N1 in livestock and milk.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Animal Production Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/animal-production-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Animal Production Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/animal-production-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Animal Production Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/animal-production-industry-statistics.

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