January 7, 2009

Brazil's feedlots expanded 20 percent in 2008, down from the average growth of 23 percent for the past five years.

The price of store cattle for finishing increased 47 percent from 2007. Many feedlots with capacity of up to 100,000 head of cattle are controlled by beef companies or helped financially by them.

Brazil slaughters about 40 million cattle per year, of which 10 percent are feedlot cattle, which is opening new markets in Asia for Brazilian beef.