Cow-Calf Corner | December 9, 2024
Beef Exports and Import Summary
Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
The latest trade data for October continued recent trends in international beef trade. October beef exports were down just 0.3 percent year over year with the year-to-date total for the first ten months of the year down 2.6 percent (Figure 1). October beef imports were up 35.2 percent year over year in October with a January – October total up 22.5 percent over last year.
Figure 1. U.S. Beef Exports, Jan-Oct 2022-2024, Million Pounds, Carcass Weight
Figure 2. U.S. Beef Imports, Jan-Oct 2022-2024, Million Pounds, Carcass Weight
Japan has moved back into the top spot as the number one beef export market thus far in 2024, with a ten-month total unchanged from a year ago and a 21.8 percent share of total beef exports. Following closely is South Korea, in second place this year (down from number one last year), with a year-to-date total down 8.8 percent from last year and a 20.5 percent share of total beef exports. The combined China/Hong Kong market is number three, down 7.8 percent year over year thus far in 2024 and holding an 18.7 percent share of the beef export total. Mexico continues to show the strongest growth in major export markets with beef exports up 9.8 percent year over year thus far and an increasing 11.4 percent share. Number five Canada is down 7.2 percent in 2024 with an 8.5 percent share of beef exports. Taiwan is the number six beef export market with a year-to-date total down 2.6 percent and a 6.4 percent beef export share.
Australia has regained the top spot as a source of U.S. beef imports, with a ten-month total up a whopping 69.4 percent and a 22.7 percent share of the import total. Australia has not been the top beef import source for the U.S. since 2016. Canada has dropped to second place with a total thus far in 2024 up 1.3 percent and a 21.8 percent share. Brazil is the number three source of beef imports, up 52.0 percent thus far in the year and a 15.6 percent share of the import total. New Zealand is the fourth largest source of beef imports with a total through October up 6.3 percent year over year and a 13.0 percent share of total imports. Mexico is the fifth largest source of beef imports and is down 11.7 percent year over year with a 12.9 percent share of Beef imports. Uruguay is the number six beef import source, up 65.4 percent year over year and a 6.3 percent share of the total.
Canada and Mexico are both strong bilateral beef trade partners but are moving in opposite directions. Beef imports from Canada continue to grow and exports decline year over year while Mexico has decreased as an import source with beef exports to Mexico increasing this year and in 2023 from a recent low in 2022.
The sharp jump in total beef imports this year is in response to a 12.8 percent year over year decrease in nonfed beef production resulting from a 15.9 percent year over year decrease in cow slaughter through late November. Much of beef imports supply lean processing beef for hamburger and other processed beef products.
Advocacy
Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist
Only 2% of US citizens work in production agriculture. It is a foregone conclusion that virtually everyone reading this article is among that 2%. Therefore, we understand where food comes from, that beef cattle under our care and management have a higher standard of living than if they were released back into the wild. That beef production serves as a great example of sustainability and over the long-term the grazing ecosystem (consisting of soil, plants and cattle) can and does flourish when managed according to science and good animal husbandry. The point of this topic is to help understand that the other 98% of our population are far removed from production agriculture and therefore have a limited understanding of that knowledge. Two to three generations ago, a much larger share of the U.S. population was directly involved in the production of food. As a result of our efficiency, technology and good management in a free enterprise economy, US citizens spend a smaller percentage of their disposable income on food than any other country in the world. Currently, each American Farmer or Rancher provides the food for approximately 160 people. Accordingly, our high degree of efficiency has resulted in only 2% of our population being “needed” to produce food. The beef industry is not unique in this respect. The dairy, grain production and poultry industries have all dramatically improved production capabilities and efficiently over the past 50 – 60 years. The efficiency of production agriculture has created the perception that food can be taken for granted. Our business plan should include helping consumers (the other 98%) understand beef production and advocating for our industry.
How do we advocate for our industry?
Share your story. Engage with people and build relationships. Production agriculture is a way of life as well as a business. Connect and communicate your story, tell others about your business, what you do and the industry you are a part of.
Get involved. Join your county, state or national cattlemen’s association. Information about the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association can be accessed at the links below:
Earn your MBA! The Masters of Beef Advocacy is your go-to program for training and resources to be a strong advocate for the beef community. This is a free, self-guided online course which can be accessed at the link below:
Become Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certified! The BQA program has a positive impact on consumers perception of the beef industry and beef, the product. Information on how to become BQA certified is available at the link below:
Change is inevitable. The drovers and cowboys involved in the cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail during the 1870s when America acquired a taste for beef, would not recognize the modern beef industry. The perseverance, adaptability and hard work of American cattlemen has permitted the beef industry to evolve, adapt, sustain and survive for 150 years while meeting the consuming public’s demand for our product. It is our responsibility to represent our industry and tell our story.
As cattle producers we care for animals that are capable of taking fibrous plants (undigestible by humans) and turning them into a nutrient dense, healthy and delicious food for mankind. Embrace the opportunity to share your story and advocate for your industry.
Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, explains the importance of advocacy in a cattle producer’s business plan on SunUpTV from November 4, 2023.
Drinking water for Stocker Cattle on Wheat Pasture
Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist
We finally got some good general rains across Oklahoma in late October and much of the wheat producing areas of the Southern Plains, it looks like we may finally have prospects of grazing wheat pasture this winter. There are areas that may have gotten sufficient rain for forage growth but not enough to refill ponds for adequate drinking water this winter. Water is considered an inexpensive, readily available, and renewable natural resource. However, this is not true if we have to haul water or drill new wells.
The influence of reduced water availability on cattle grazing forages with high moisture content like wheat pasture has been given only cursory attention. Therefore, researchers at OSU looked to investigate the influence of drinking water access on animal performance, forage intake, and blood responses in steers grazing wheat pasture. This research used 10 Angus-cross steers that were either free-choice access to water or 50% of the steer’s baseline drinking water intake measured for a week before the experiment began. Steers were individually hand-watered once per day for the entire 35-day experiment.
Average daily gains were 0.47 pounds per day greater for steers given free-choice access to water (2.76 pounds per day) than water restricted steers (2.29 pounds per day). Reduced access to water did not affect forage intake or blood packed cell volume. Blood creatinine and albumin concentrations were greater for steers that were deprived of water. On day 7, serum sodium and phosphorus concentrations were significantly higher in water restricted steers than free-choice steers. Additionally, mean serum phosphorus concentrations were significantly higher in water restricted steers on day -7 and 7 compared to free-choice steers. Changes in serum component concentrations were indicative of loss of extracellular fluid. Despite the lower ADG in water restricted steers, performance of steers in both treatment groups were within reported values for cattle grazing wheat pasture, but the increase in performance indicates the importance of fresh clean drinking water for growing calves. These results indicate that steers deprived of drinking water can effectively utilize free-water in succulent forages with a reduction in performance but no adverse health effects. Access to free-choice drinking water is advisable to minimize the likelihood of acute dehydration and optimize performance gains in stocker cattle grazing wheat pasture.