Is there zakat on animals like sheep and cows?
Yes, there is zakat on livestock such as sheep, goats, cows and camels, once you own a minimum number for a full year. For sheep and goats it starts at 40 animals; for cows at 30. Pets, horses and working animals are not included.
Where the rule comes from
In the Prophet's ﷺ time, herds were the main form of wealth, so livestock zakat was set out in detail. Abu Bakr later wrote down the rates in a letter for the zakat collectors (Sahih al-Bukhari 1454). The Quran gives the reason behind every type of zakat:
The basic rates
- Sheep and goats: 40–120 animals, one sheep; 121–200, two; 201–300, three; after that, one for every extra 100 (Sahih al-Bukhari 1454).
- Cows and buffalo: for every 30, a one-year-old calf; for every 40, a two-year-old cow. This comes from the instructions the Prophet ﷺ gave Mu'adh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen.
- Camels: one sheep for every 5 camels up to 24, then a young camel of a set age at higher counts.
The animal you give should be of average quality: not the sickest of the flock, and not the very best that the owner loves most.
Conditions that must be met
- A full lunar year of ownership.
- Free grazing: the Hanafi, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools say zakat applies only when the animals graze on open pasture for most of the year. The Maliki school also includes animals you feed yourself.
- Not working animals: most scholars exclude animals used for ploughing or carrying.
What doesn't count
The Prophet ﷺ said a Muslim owes no zakat on his horse or his servant (Sahih al-Bukhari 1463), and scholars apply this to animals kept for personal use. So your cat, dog, chickens in the garden, or a horse you ride are zakat-free. See Do I pay zakat on my house and car? for the same principle with other personal items.
Animals bought to sell, such as a sheep-trading business or a breeding farm, are treated as trade goods instead: you pay 2.5% of their market value each year. See Do I pay zakat on my business?
- Livestock zakat starts at 40 sheep or goats, 30 cows, or 5 camels.
- Animals must be owned for a full year; most schools also require free grazing.
- Pets, riding horses and working animals are exempt.
- Livestock kept for trade pays 2.5% of its value instead.
People also ask
Can zakat help victims of human trafficking?
Yes, zakat can help Muslim victims of human trafficking as poor, indebted or stranded people; many apply 'freeing captives' to modern slavery.
Read the full answer →Do I pay zakat on diamond jewelry?
No, you don't pay zakat on diamond jewelry you wear, per all four schools. Diamonds held for resale or investment, and gold settings, are different.
Read the full answer →Can zakat be used to pay someone's rent?
Yes, zakat can pay the rent of a poor or struggling Muslim, either as cash or paid to the landlord with their permission. Conditions and school views.
Read the full answer →Can I give zakat as food instead of money?
It depends: most scholars say zakat on money is paid in money, while Hanafis allow food of equal value. Zakat al-fitr is food by default.
Read the full answer →What does the Quran say about zakat?
The Quran says zakat is a duty paired with prayer, names eight groups who receive it, promises reward and warns those who hoard wealth.
Read the full answer →