Kansas ranked third nationally with 6.7 million cattle on ranches and in feedyards as of January 1, 2008. That's nearly two and one-half times the state's human population of over 2.7 million. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Cattle represented 54% of the 2007 Kansas agricultural cash receipts. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Cattle generated $6.32 billion in cash receipts during 2007. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas ranked seventh nationally in beef cow numbers as of January 1, 2008, with 1.51 million head. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas ranks first nationwide in commercial cattle processed with 7.7 million head in 2007. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas ranks third in the value of live animals and meat exported to other countries at $449.8 million in 2006. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Meat packing and prepared meat products manufacturing make up the largest share of the food processing industry in the state. This industry provides employment for over 18,700 people in Kansas. (Kansas Department of Labor)

Kansas ranked second in fed cattle marketed with 5.14 million in 2007. That represents 22.9% of all cattle fed in the United States. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas ranked third in total red meat production in 2007. Beef represented 6.2 billion pounds of the total. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas ranks first in hides and skins exported from the U.S., totaling $382.2 million in 2006. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

In 2007, Kansas had 31,000 farms with cattle and calves. (Kansas Ag Statistics)

Kansas has 47.2 million acres of farm ground; however, not all of this land can be used to grow crops. Cattle are the ideal mechanism for efficiently utilizing grasses and plants growing on the 18.3 million acres of Kansas pasture and rangeland. These acres are not suited for the production of cultivated crops and would be wasted if it were not for ruminants, such as cattle, turning these resources into essential protein and nutrients for human use.