The principal livestock-raising regions of Alabama are the far north, the southwest, and the Black Belt, where the lime soil provides excellent pasturage. In 2001 Alabama produced an estimated 493.2 million lb (223.7 million kg) of cattle and calves, valued at $362 million, and an estimated 65.5 million lb (29.7 million kg) of hogs, valued at $28.2 million. There were 1,370,000 cattle and an estimated 165,000 hogs and pigs on Alabama farms and ranches in 2002. According to preliminary figures, 21,000 milk cows yielded 300 million lb (136 million kg) of milk in 2001.
Alabama is a leading producer of chickens, broilers, and eggs. In broiler production, the state was surpassed only by Georgia and Arkansas in 2001, with an estimated 5.1 billion lb (2.3 billion kg), valued at $2 billion. That year, Alabama ranked fifth in chicken production, with over 64.8 million lb (29.4 million kg), worth $4.6 million. Egg production totaled 2.4 billion, worth $265.4 million.