Since most of the cattle in South Africa are raised under extensive and semi-extensive conditions, the total number of cattle produced in the country are extremely climate dependent, with farmers generally downscaling production during times of drought when there is a shortage of graze and feed and then rebuilding herds during the better years.
Climate change, which is predicted to result in more extreme weather conditions in South Africa, is therefore seen as a major threat to livestock production.
Total cattle numbers in South Africa between 1996 and 2020, fluctuated between 12,5 million at its lowest in August 2019 and 14,4 million at its peak in February 1998, according to livestock numbers estimates of the National Department of Agriculture. Roughly 40% of these animals belong to the emergent and subsistence sector, whereas the rest belongs to the commercial sector.
Cattle are produced throughout the country, with the Eastern Cape, by far having the largest number of cattle, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State. In August 2019, the Eastern Cape had just over 3 million cattle, whereas KwaZulu-Natal had roughly 2,5 million and the Free State 2,1 million head of cattle.
The North West had close to 1,6 million, whereas Mpumalanga had just over 1,2 million. Limpopo had 898 491 head of cattle, whereas the Western Cape had 488 459, the Northern Cape 432 907 and Gauteng had 245 513 head of cattle.