The animal species that produce the most milk in the world are cattle, specifically dairy cows. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, dairy cows produce over 80% of the world's milk.
Here are the top milk-producing animal species in the world, based on 2020 data from the FAO:
1. *Cattle (dairy cows)*: 83.6% of global milk production (over 630 million metric tons)
2. *Water buffalo*: 11.4% of global milk production (over 90 million metric tons)
3. *Goats*: 2.3% of global milk production (over 18 million metric tons)
4. *Sheep*: 1.4% of global milk production (over 11 million metric tons)
5. *Camels*: 0.5% of global milk production (over 4 million metric tons)
It's worth noting that these numbers can vary depending on factors like region, country, and production systems. However, dairy cows remain the dominant milk-producing species globally.
Cattle (dairy cows) produce most of the world’s milk, far exceeding buffaloes, goats, sheep, and camels, due to high yields, strong demand, and established dairy infrastructure.