The United States Department of Agriculture has ranked countries based on the largest number of cows, with India in first place globally (307.5 million) and Brazil in second place (194.3 million) and first in South America. Other South American countries with significant cow populations include Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru. Uruguay has the highest number of cows per capita (3.6) due to its vast grasslands. India's population is the highest because cows are considered sacred and are not slaughtered for meat. The distribution of the world cow population was detailed, with the total being 942.6 million as of 2023.