May 7, 2012

China's breeder demand rose by 82% for 2011

Last year, Chinese companies purchased US$41 million worth of live breeding animals and genetics - about threefold increase from five years ago, according to USDA.

In 2011, the US exported US$664.1 million worth of live breeding animals, semen and livestock embryos, an 82% increase in two years. While other countries such as Russia and Turkey spent more last year, China was a big buyer on volume. About 14% of all US live animal exports were sent to China in 2011 - largely breeder chicks. The demand for breeder pigs, in particular, is increasing after China lifted a two-year ban on hogs and pork imports last spring. In the first two months of this year, China imported 62% of the total number of US breeder pigs brought in for all of 2011.