Cattle imports from Mexico tend to be lighter cattle for stocker operations and eventual finishing in U.S. feedlots. In past years, cattle imports from Canada tended to be animals for immediate slaughter, of which roughly two-thirds were fed steers and heifers and one-third were cows.
Imports of Canadian cattle into the United States were banned following Canada's May 2003 BSE case. In July 2005, U.S. imports of Canadian cattle resumed for animals less than 30 months of age for immediate slaughter or for finishing in a U.S. feedlot.
In July 2006, Canadian officials announced the discovery of BSE in a 50-month-old dairy cow from Alberta. The animal's birth occurred in the spring of 2002, and thus it was exposed to BSE well after Canada's feed ban was initiated in 1997.
USDA temporarily withdrew a proposal to allow the importation of Canadian cattle over 30 months of age pending the results of the investigation into the July 2006 Canadian case. However, in November 2007, USDA published a final rule in the Federal Register to allow imports of some live animals over 30 months of age and their meat products from countries recognized as presenting a minimal risk of introducing BSE into the United States. Currently, Canada is the only minimal-risk country designated by the United States. All animals born after Canada's 1997 feed ban are eligible to be imported into the United States.
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