Worldwide Import and Export of Live Animals and Their Products Study Notes

Overview of this topic covers species-based review of imports and exports of live animals and their products.

Total Beef Exports in 2018: 10,900,000 tonnes in carcass weight.
Total Worldwide Beef Production: 71,100,000 tonnes.
- This indicates a relatively small percentage of beef production is exported.
- Most countries utilize a large proportion of the beef they produce.

Biggest Exporters:
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Australia
- The United States
Biggest Importers:
- China
- The United States
- Notably, imports to the U.S. primarily consist of lean beef, which is lower value beef,
- Lean beef is mixed with higher fat percentage beef from feedlots to create products such as burgers.

Worldwide Sheep Meat Output in 2018: 15,000,000 tonnes.
Sheep Meat Exports: 1,000,000 tonnes.
- Significant portion of sheep meat from Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) accounts for about 70-75% of total international exports.
- Other regions where sheep meat is produced generally consume it locally.
- New Zealand lamb goes mainly to the UK, and Australian lamb is distributed globally.

Worldwide Goat Meat Production: Over 5,000,000 tonnes (doubled since 1990).
- Possible factors include an increase in goat numbers or changes in data collection methodologies.
Goat Meat Exports: Approximately 50,000 tonnes.
- Australia contributes over half of the world’s goat meat exports, largely sourced from feral goat populations.
- Utilization of feral goats helps mitigate overgrazing and provides income for farmers.

Total Deer Meat Exports from New Zealand in 2018: 12,000 tonnes.
Deer Co-products Exports: 4,500 tonnes (including velvet or deer antlers).
- Predominantly exported to Asian countries for traditional medicine.
Total Deer Population in New Zealand: Approximately 900,000 animals.

Camelid meat markets are small but evolving, particularly in Australia.
Alpaca Meat Production: Around 12,000 tonnes, mainly from Peru where alpacas originated.

Total Worldwide Wool Production: About 1,200,000,000 kilograms.
- Nearly 477 million kilograms of this wool is exported, with Australia being the largest exporter, notably to China.
- Australia’s wool exports far surpass those of other countries.
- Minimal processing of wool occurs in Australia, with most being processed in China.

Mohair Production: Less than 0.15% of global natural fibre production (about 15,000 tonnes).
Cashmere Production: More than 5,000 times less than wool.

Global Alpaca Fibre Production: 3,500 tonnes from Peru and 1,500 tonnes globally.
- Although alpacas are present in Australia, their farming is limited.

All mammals produce milk, including unusual sources such as dolphins.
Commonly consumed milk species include goats, sheep, camels, and cattle, varying greatly by geography.
- In Australia, cattle milk dominates while goats and sheep’s milk are more prevalent in southeastern Asia.
- Special cases like fermented mare’s milk (Eraig) in Mongolia.

Approximately 150,000,000 households worldwide are involved in milk production, especially in developing countries with small numbers of livestock.
- Example: A dairy farm in Nepal with 10 cows considered large.

World Milk Production: 860 million tonnes in 2020.
Dairy Exports: 78 million tonnes in 2020.
- The dairy trade is predominantly achieved through non-liquid formats (cheese, skim milk powder), avoiding high transport costs associated with liquid milk.

Live animal export is a smaller industry than fresh or frozen meat but significant for certain countries (due to lack of refrigeration etc.).
Live exports face ethical considerations and scrutiny related to animal welfare during transport, particularly in extreme weather conditions.

Major destinations for live cattle from Australia include Indonesia and various Asian ports, typically involving short voyages and minimal temperature changes.
Most live sheep exports head to the Middle East, which presents unique climatic challenges for animal welfare.
Regulations have been tightened over the years in response to past welfare issues during live exports.

Over the past sixty to seventy years, shifts in meat consumption patterns have emerged:
- Beef and sheep meat consumption has decreased compared to pork and chicken due to intensified production making those meats cheaper.
- Chicken, once a luxury, has become more affordable and is now a larger percentage of diets in Australia and globally.
Global demand for beef and sheep meat remains strong despite changes in consumption trends, leading to higher export incentives for Australian producers, as they benefit from higher prices in international markets compared to domestic settings.