North American Trade Is Normalizing

Cattle imports so far this year are running above a year ago.  Weekly imports of feeder and slaughter cattle from Canada have returned to a more normal pre-BSE seasonal pattern.  This year U.S. feeder and slaughter cattle imports from Canada declined during the spring and summer but recently have begun to increase.  At the same time, cattle imports from Mexico have started to increase seasonally.

Based on weekly data, as of mid-September U.S. feeder cattle imports from Canada were about 216,000 head or 5,800 head per week.  In a normal year, the U.S. imported about 280,000 head by mid-September with a weekly average of 7,575 head per week in 2002.

U.S. slaughter cattle imports from Canada through mid-September were close to 445,000 head or an average of 12,000 per week.  Slaughter cattle imports for the respective period this year were smaller when compared to non-trade disrupted years.  In 2002 annual slaughter cattle imports were at 515,000 head by mid-September.  So far this year, slaughter cattle imports peaked at 15,300 head in mid-September.  Seasonal increases are expected this fall.

As of mid-September, U.S. feeder cattle imports from Mexico are around 43,000 head above 2005.  On a weekly basis, imports this year have been about 1,100 to 1,200 head more per week than last year.  U.S. imports of Mexican feeder steers are running 19 percent higher than the 2000-2004 average.

Imports are expected to seasonally increase in the fourth quarter, but may not be much different than a year ago. 

Source:  Livestock Marketing Information Center