What CLARA Knows About Cattle Imports

So far in 2025, U.S. cattle imports have totaled 498,594 head through April, significantly lower than the 762,450 head brought in during the same period last year..

📦 Cattle Imports From Mexico Down 287K

So far in 2025, U.S. cattle imports have totaled 498,594 head through April, significantly lower than the 762,450 head brought in during the same period last year. This sharp decline is primarily driven by a major drop in imports from Mexico, which have fallen to just 192,565 head — a reduction of 287,040 head compared to the 479,605 imported by this time in 2024. The decline is largely attributed to the emergence of screwworm infestations in parts of northern Mexico, which have disrupted cattle movements and restricted eligibility for export. Meanwhile, imports from Canada have actually increased year-over-year, reaching 306,029 head — 23,184 more than last year’s April total of 282,845.

Over the past decade, Mexico has consistently been the dominant source of cattle imports to the United States, supplying an average of 459,000 more head per year than Canada from 2015 to 2024. Mexico’s strong role in the cross-border feeder cattle trade has been vital to meeting U.S. demand, particularly in southern feedyards. The decline in 2025 is notable not just in scale, but in timing — as it coincides with spring placements and could tighten feeder supply if the trend persists. While Canada remains a steady contributor, the gap in volume over the years underscores how central Mexico has been to the U.S. cattle supply chain.

U.S. Cattle Import Facts 

  • So far in 2025, the U.S. has imported 498,594 head of cattle through April, which is 263,856 head fewer than the 762,450 head imported during the same period in 2024.

  • Cattle imports from Mexico total 192,565 head so far in 2025, which is 287,040 head fewer than the 479,605 head imported through April 2024.

  • Cattle imports from Canada are at 306,029 head through April 2025, which is 23,184 head more than the 282,845 head imported during the same period last year.

  • In 2024, the U.S. imported 2.04 million head of cattle: 1,249,202 from Mexico and 793,291 from Canada.

  • In 2023, the U.S. imported 1.98 million head: approximately 1.246 million from Mexico and 734,000 from Canada.

  • In 2004, the U.S. imported only 135 head of cattle from Canada due to a BSE case discovered in Alberta in May 2003.

  • In 2003, cattle imports from Canada totaled 512,353 head, a sharp decline from 1,686,508 head in 2002 — the highest ever recorded from Canada.

  • In 2005, cattle imports from Canada rebounded to 559,134 head as trade restrictions began to ease.

  • Cattle imports from Canada returned to over 1 million head in 2006, and this level was sustained annually through 2010.

  • Since 2011, Canada has only exceeded 1 million head in cattle exports to the U.S. twice — in 2013 and 2014.

  • The most cattle ever imported into the U.S. from Canada occurred in 2002, with 1.686 million head.

  • The most cattle ever imported into the U.S. from Mexico was 1.653 million head in 1995.

  • The combined record for U.S. cattle imports from both Canada and Mexico was set in 1995, totaling 2.786 million head.

  • Since 2011, the U.S. has imported more than 1 million head of cattle from Mexico in 11 of the past 14 years.

  • From 2015 through 2024, the U.S. imported more cattle from Mexico than Canada every single year.

  • During that 10-year period (2015–2024), U.S. imports from Mexico averaged 459,000 head more per year than imports from Canada.

  • Over the past 10 years (2015–2024), average annual cattle imports were: 1,178,551 head from Mexico, 719,549 head from Canada, and 1,898,106 head combined.

Source:  Rob Cook, NationalBeefWire.com