The Global Livestock Report

The main international suppliers to the Chinese market significantly increased their shipments to this destination in June, suggesting that an uptick in arrivals—mainly from South America—can be expected in August.

The FAO meat price index averaged 126.0 points in June, up by 2.6 points (2.1%) from May and 7.9 points (6.7%) from the same month last year, reaching a record level. This increase was driven by rising prices in all meat categories except poultry.

In the first quarter of 2025, beef production in the European Union totaled 1.58 million tons, a 3% decrease compared to the same period last year—equivalent to a decline of approximately 56,000 tons. The sharpest reductions were seen in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Compared to the last market test, beef import prices in the USA were slightly to moderately higher. Trading was slow to moderate.

Packers purchased for a full slaughter week this week and finished last week paying fully steady prices with the previous week. Cattle in the south sold from $224-$225 and live sales in the north were $230-$234 — mostly $230-$232 steady with last week. Dressed trades were also steady at $368-$372 and mostly $368-$370, according to The AG Center.

This week, live cattle began entering the United States from Mexico once again, after the trade flow had been halted due to the confirmed presence of the New World screwworm in the Mexican herd—a parasite that has been spreading northward from Central America, Reuters reported.