Agriculture is an essential part of Montana's economy. Each year it contributes more than 3.5 billion dollars to the state, and livestock alone makes up about 1.5 billion dollars of that total. The main kind of livestock in Montana is cattle.

Farm cash receipts in recent years have typically been greater than 5 billion dollars annually, and cattle and calves continue to be the leading source of livestock income. Livestock accounts for well over half of Montana’s agricultural cash receipts, with beef cattle dominating the sector.

As of January 1, 2025, Montana had about 2.16 million cattle and calves in total, including roughly 1.25 million beef cows and about 8,500 milk cows. Sheep and lamb inventory was about 185,000 head, keeping Montana among the top sheep‑producing states. Swine numbers are much smaller than cattle and sheep; Montana had about 240,000 hogs and pigs in late 2023.

Montana is also an important honey‑producing state. In 2023, producers with five or more colonies harvested about 9.69 million pounds of honey from 114,000 colonies, and Montana has consistently ranked among the top honey‑producing states in the country.

Learn About Montana Farm Animals

• Bees
  • Honey
• Cattle
  • Beef
  • Dairy
• The History of Montana's Cattle Industry
• Poultry
• Ostriches, Emus, and Rheas
• Horses
• Sheep
  • Wool
• Swine

Sources

• USDA 2024 State Agriculture Overview
• USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service – Montana Field Office
• USDA Honey Production

Updated: January 26, 2026