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Where does the United States get its live cattle? Import sources 2024

In 2024, the United States imported $2.9 billion of live cattle (746 thousand tonnes), 25.7% of the world total. Canada sold 57% of the total, followed by Mexico (43%) and Tanzania (0%). The United States was the world’s largest importer of live cattle.

Summary

Value
$2.9billion
Tonnes
746thousand tonnes
Share of world total
25.7%
World rank
1st
Routes from the main sources. Width: value; color: estimated transport mode.SeaAirLand

Sources

The 7 main sources in the latest year.

PartnerValue (USD billions)TonnesUSD per tonneShareMode
Canada1.7Tonnes: 449,319USD per tonne: $3,75657.5%Land
Mexico1.2Tonnes: 297,009USD per tonne: $4,20742.5%Land
Tanzania< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $103,5710%Air
Australia< 0.01Tonnes: 2USD per tonne: $3,9290%Sea
Angola< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $5,0670%Sea
Belgium re-exports< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $13,0000%Sea
South Korea< 0.01Tonnes: 0USD per tonne: $5,0000%Sea

Trend

Who it buys from

Canada has been its main source since 2021

Value in USD billions. The five largest sources in 2024.

  • Canada 1.7
  • Mexico 1.2
  • Tanzania < 0.01
  • Australia < 0.01
  • Angola 0

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
Partner19952024
Canada0.881.7
Mexico0.551.2
Tanzania0< 0.01
Australia< 0.01< 0.01
Angola00

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), which reconciles what exporters and importers report: countries that stopped reporting (Russia since 2022) appear with their partners’ data. FOB values in current US dollars; tonnes when BACI reports them. The price per tonne is the value of the rows with a weight divided by that weight. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. Data up to 2024.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.

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