Argentina's Taste for Veal Complicates Beef Exporting Ambition

Argentina's Taste for Veal Complicates Beef Exporting Ambition

Argentina's taste for beef from young calves - viewed as the most tender - is discouraging producers from raising the heavier cattle needed to restore the country's position as a top global beef exporter.

With per capita consumption at nearly 58 kilograms (128 lbs) per year, barbecue-loving Argentines are among the most carnivorous people in the world.

Despite the high consumption level, the number of heavy cattle - the type most demanded by international markets - sent to slaughter houses is relatively low.

"I prefer small animals, not the big ones because their meat is harder," said Rosa Dimonica, a customer at a butcher shop in the old-fashioned San Telmo Market in Buenos Aires.

That attitude is typical of Argentine consumers, who tend to prefer veal even though it can cost more, said Miguel Schiaritti, president of the Meat Industry and Commerce Chamber.

More than 65 percent of bulls sent to slaughter in Argentina are young and light.

"They are well-accepted by the internal market, but they have no chance of being exported," said Victor Tonelli, an agricultural consultant.

The average weight of a slaughtered animal in Argentina in 2016 was 226 kg (498 lbs) per animal, compared with 280 kg (617 lbs) and 360 kg (794 lbs) in competitors Australia and the United States, respectively, Tonelli added.

Once a top five global beef exporter, Argentina is currently eleventh, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.

High financing costs and inflation in Latin America's No. 3 economy discourage the investment necessary to produce the steers demanded by the global market and prompt the early slaughter of cattle for local consumption, said Adrian Bifaretti, head of the Beef Promotion Institute.

A stronger-than-expected peso versus the U.S. dollar also discourages the production of meat for export, leading producers to avoid heavy cattle with little demand in the domestic market, Bifaretti said.

An animal's age is not the only factor affecting how tender its beef is, said Schiaritti, noting that the amount of time a carcass spends in a refrigerator before being shipped to market also has an impact.

 

Latest News

Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections
Biden Administration Restores Wildlife Protections

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to reinstate rules protecting endangered plants and animals, action that would reverse changes made during the Trump Administration that weakened the Endangered Species Act.

Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors
Across Breed EPD Adjustment Factors

EPDs from multiple breeds can be compared by adding/subtracting the appropriate adjustment factors to the EPDs resulting from the most recent genetic evaluations for each of 18 breeds.

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims
USDA Authorizes CRP Graze and Hay Donations to Wildfire Victims

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) participants can donate emergency grazing authority to ranchers in Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas impacted by recent wildfires.

New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows
New Guide Helps Producers Maximize Values of Cull Cows

A new resource developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and CattleFax helps cattle producers maximize profitability from their culling decisions.